Left Behind
by Lightning515
Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.
1. Prologue: Leaving

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc. Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

"Are you sure about this Tsuna?" Nana asked, staring apprehensively at her son. She was wearing her usual clothes; despite it being late, she hadn't gotten ready for bed yet. Instead, she stayed up to see her son off, too concerned and worried to be able to sleep. Her only son was about to leave the house, and it was ok if she lost one night's sleep to see him off properly. Lambo, I-pin, and Fuuta were still asleep; it was still too early for anyone to be awake.

The said brunet nodded, bangs covering his eyes before looking up with a bright, fake smile on his face. He wore his orange and white jacket over a white shirt with the number 27 in red. He also wore blue jeans, slightly baggy due to his height. Reborn was coming down from his room, Leon on his famous fedora like usual and a tiny suitcase in hand. His mother sighed and gave him a hug, knowing that it would be the last one that she would be able to give him for a while.

"Be careful Tsuna. I know that you will be with Reborn, but the thought of you leaving the house so young…" Nana's voice trailed off before releasing the boy, holding his shoulders in her hands. She stared into his eyes, looking for any regret or uncertainty but finding none, and sighed. "You really grew up quickly…"

"Thanks mom." Tsuna picked up his bags as Reborn jumped on his head without a word, flattening a good amount of the gravity-defying bangs. Reborn lifted his fedora in farewell, placing the hat back over his spiky black hair. "Remember… don't tell them where I went, ok?"

"But Tsu-kun-" Nana frowned, unhappy about this particular part of her son's decision.

"No buts mom. You promised." Tsuna glanced at the room where Lambo and the others were sleeping before grabbing the door knob, still facing his mom. "That includes the kids…and my friends."

"Tsu-kun…"

"I'll be ok mom. I'll contact you soon." He walked out into the darkness without a backward glance, the sun barely rising above the mountains surrounding the city. His mother stood in the doorway for a while before silently closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door before falling to the ground, energy having completely left her legs. Although she knew that it was what Tsuna wanted, she couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness in her heart as he left her, just like his dad.

"Tsu-kun…" _Stay safe._

* * *

Tsuna continued walking, hearing nothing but the sound of his footsteps on the street. There was just enough light to see where they were going; everything else was shroud in darkness.

It was several minutes before the silence was broken, and it wasn't by Tsuna.

"Tsuna." Tsuna didn't stop walking but shifted his head, indicating that he heard Reborn but not wanting to fling the sadistic hitman off his head. "Are you sure about this? About becoming Vongola Decimo?"

Tsuna hesitated slightly before replying, not pausing in his steps. "Yes, I'm sure. Just make sure you too keep your promise… And I'll become Decimo." Tsuna stopped walking and closed his eyes, as if regretting his actions. His ring glowed orange and Natsu appeared on his shoulder, resolve glinting in the lion cub's eyes. The cub was fearful for his master and the consequences of his actions, but knew that it was for the best, that it was done to protect everyone. The cub understood the brunet's feelings the best, and knew the inner meaning of his decisions. Natsu purred and rubbed against Tsuna's cheek comfortingly, wanting to alleviate his master's hidden doubts.

Tsuna smiled at Natsu's actions, and lifted his hand to pat the cub with his eyes still closed, thankful for the comfort. Reborn smiled; it was good to know that someone supported him in his decisions, someone other than himself. After all, Reborn knew Tsuna too well (well, he was so easy to read so it wasn't completely Reborn's fault) and would think that the words were just to comfort him and had no meaning.

It wasn't long before Tsuna stopped petting Natsu, his hand falling limply back to his side, and continued walking, resolve again glinting in his honey-brown eyes. The eyes flashed orange briefly before returning to their normal honey-brown. Reborn was the only one that noticing and made mental note of it, knowing that it was proof of how strong Tsuna's resolve was.

Reborn nodded his head in response to the mention of the promise he made, knowing that Tsuna couldn't see him. He grabbed the tip of his fedora and tilted it downward to cover most of his face to cover his expression, despite knowing that Tsuna wouldn't see it anyways. However, he couldn't get rid of the foreboding feeling he had, that he shouldn't have agreed to the young naive boy's conditions to become Decimo. He pushed it aside, thinking that it was a result of throwing the boy into the dangerous world of the mafia, despite Tsuna's initial complaints when they first met.

"… Ok." Reborn reassured the brunet that his part of the promise was going to be kept, despite the sense of foreboding he had. He was going to have to work harder to keep the brunet safe, but he wasn't called the number one hitman for nothing. He had his reputation to keep up after all.

Tsuna nodded, still walking. Natsu purred and resumed rubbing against Tsuna's cheek.

"Let's go to Italy."

* * *

Deep inside his heart, something broke. He knew the consequences and the pain of his actions but still he didn't relent. He refused to let his emotions blind his decisions and instead focused on his task ahead. He had forcibly tore them away from his life, purposefully ran away from them, all because he couldn't stand seeing them wounded, hurt, and in pain anymore.

_I don't want to leave them, to say goodbye, to force them away from me. But I have no choice. This is the decision that I made. Why does it hurt so much? Why does my heart feel like its breaking? I don't know, I just know that there is loneliness…_

_It would all be ok in the end right? After all, it was done to protect them from the dark world. The dark world… of the mafia._

* * *

**A/N: Hey there! Thanks for taking the time to read this story of mine! I worked really hard on it for a while before I decided that it was ready to be put up. **

**Natsu is mainly a source of comfort for Tsuna in this fic, not sure if he will be used much at this point. **

**Ciao Ciao!**

**Pikachu**

**Published 12 December 2012**

**Updated 24 March 2013 **


	2. Chapter 1: Shock and Confusion

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc. Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Note: Bianchi doesn't exist in this fic...I realized that after I wrote the chapter and didn't want to change it to include her...**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

"Tenth! Tenth! TENTH!"

"Now Gokudera. Tsuna won't get out here any faster with you calling him."

"Shut up sword freak! Reborn usually wakes him up and gets him out the door by now!"

"Now that you mention it…" Yamamoto scratched his head in thought. The two friends were standing on Tsuna's doorstep, waiting patiently (or in Gokudera's case, impatiently) for Tsuna to come out. Both of them were wearing the school uniform; in Gokudera's case, his tie was flipped over his shoulder and his shirt was wrinkled. Yamamoto was casually holding onto his school bag with his Shigure Kintoki slung over his shoulder in its case. Gokudera stood leaning on one leg, backpack slung over his right shoulder as he waited for his precious Tenth to come out. However, it was taking longer than usual for the usually punctual Tsuna (courtesy of Reborn, of course) to come out the door.

Before they could say anything about it anymore, Nana came outside to greet them with a huge smile on her face. She was wearing a plain light green apron over a sky-blue turtleneck and blue slacks, dressed just like a typical housewife. The two Guardians were instantly alert; after being with Tsuna for so long (and his feeble attempts at lying), it was quite obvious that something was wrong. Tsuna's mom never greeted them at the door unless Tsuna had overslept, and the grin that she had was obviously fake, so similar to Tsuna's that they recognized it right away.

"Oh good morning everyone! Sorry, but Tsu-kun had something to take care of out of town. He left yesterday with Reborn-kun; it seemed to be urgent. I don't know when they will be back but I will let you know as soon as they do. I have to take care of the kids now!"Nana said in a rushed manner. As soon as she finished, she abruptly went back inside before the two Guardians could get a word in and shut the door behind her. Lambo ran up with I-pin and Fuuta, all wondering what the commotion was and where their big brother went.

"So Tsuna-nii went somewhere? When will he be back?" Fuuta asked, a curious look on his face. Nana shook her head, a small uncertain smile on her face.

"…I don't know Fuuta-kun. But Tsuna will be back soon ok?" Nana replied, trying to hold back her tears and stand strong in front of the kids. Lambo pouted like the spoiled brat he was before he walked away to play with I-pin, who brought up the idea of tag to cheer Lambo up. I-pin knew that Tsuna was doing something important since he looked very tired recently when she saw him. It was probably related to the mafia; and, seeing that he didn't say anything to them, Tsuna wanted to keep it a secret. Like Nana, I-pin wasn't particularly happy about this but kept quiet. Lambo didn't seem to notice; he was too spoiled and bratty to notice how others were doing. Fuuta followed them before turning back, seeing Nana leaning on the wall with a depressed look on her face. Her head was in her hands and she was shaking, barely noticeable since she was trying very hard to suppress it.

"_Tsuna-nii is number 1 to abandon his friends to protect them…" _Fuuta recalled from his recent rankings (it wasn't raining when he did it) before turning around and following Lambo and I-pin, who had put aside their worries about Tsuna for their game of tag.

* * *

Yamamoto and Gokudera stood in front of the Sawada household, still a bit stunned at what just occurred. Yamamoto, being the calming rain, was the first to regain his composure and turned to Gokudera with a confused look on his face. As far as he knew, Tsuna never mentioned going anywhere with Reborn today. Before he could say anything though, Gokudera started talking, his head bowed down in disbelief and betrayal from his most trusted "boss".

"Sword freak." Yamamoto's lips twitched upward into a small smile upon hearing the now-familiar nickname he had from the future, despite what just occurred in front of them. "Did… did the Tenth say anything about this to you?" Yamamoto's smile disappeared as quickly as it came, replaced with a serious look before shaking his head in response.

"No, he didn't. Did you hear anything about it?"

"…No." Gokudera straighten up, leaning on one leg just like a gangster. "Dammit, why didn't he tell us anything?!" He ran his hand through his hair in useless frustration, knowing that Yamamoto didn't have the answer.

"Could it be that the kid really did just take Tsuna out of town suddenly?" Yamamoto voiced out loud, knowing full well that it was just a cover story. Both of them wanted to believe in Tsuna: that he had a reason for doing what he did and didn't just abandon them. Not after all they went through during the ring battles and in the future.

"Che." Gokudera walked away from the Sawada household and toward the school. He was greatly disturbed by Tsuna's sudden disappearance, but if he went with Reborn like Nana said, then everything should be ok. He had to trust in Tsuna, despite the fact that Tsuna had left him behind, abandoned him despite his undying loyalty. He was the Right Hand Man after all.

Yamamoto quickly caught up and followed close behind, not wanting to be bitten to death by Hibari. Despite the silence as they headed to Nami-chuu, the same thought had unknowingly crossed their minds.

_Tsuna, why?_

* * *

Nana slumped down against wall after the kids left, falling down onto the cold, hard floor with her eyes closed and her mouth turned down in an unwilling sad smile as she recalled what Tsuna told her last night.

"_Mom, I'm going to Italy tomorrow."_

"_What? Why?"_

"…"

"_I think that it would be a good experience for Tsuna to explore different cultures outside Japan He needs to learn how to be independent eventually. So I arranged for him to transfer to a school in Italy. I used to live there, so there weren't that many problems."_

"_Ah, Reborn. Are you going with Tsu-kun then?"_

"_Of course. I can't let him revert back to Dame-Tsuna without me."_

"_REBORN!"_

"_Hahaha! Oh Tsuna, you and Reborn are so funny!"_

"_Mom…!"_

"_But Tsuna, did you tell your friends yet?"_

"…_Mom…don't tell them anything."_

"_Eh?! Tsu-kun, why haven't you told them yet?"_

"…_Just promise me…don't tell them where I am. Or anything about where I'm going."_

"_But Tsu-kun-"_

"_I need to finish packing."_

After that, Tsuna hung his head and went to his room to "pack". Reborn had stayed back and explained that Tsuna really didn't want to leave his friends, but knew that he couldn't rely on them all the time. Because of this reason, and the pain that both he and his friends would feel at the thought of saying goodbye so soon, Tsuna had decided to keep his "trip" a secret from them.

Nana suspected that there was more to what Reborn said, that there was another reason why Tsuna didn't want to let his friends know about what he was doing. But she trusted Tsuna and knew that whatever reason he had must have been a good reason. She has seen the change in Tsuna's attitude after Reborn and the others were introduced into his life: he was happier and had this calm, kind aura surrounding him. Nana didn't really know what happened, but she knew that her boy had grown up. Because of this, she agreed to hide it from his friends, despite her inner objections.

"Tsu-kun…"she cried, tears now openly flowing down her cheeks against her will. First it was Iemitsu, now it was Tsuna. And worst of all was hearing Tsuna's last words.

"_Don't wait for me. I don't know if I'll come back…"_

* * *

Meanwhile, in Italy, a young brunet stepped out of an airplane and onto the pavement, a baby with a yellow pacifier standing on his left shoulder. A group of men dressed in unwrinkled black suits stood to greet him.

"Welcome to Italy."

* * *

**A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! And Happy Holidays to others! Thank you to those that read my story and fave/followed/reviewed! I didn't expect such a response... I thought that it would be one of those stories that just sat there gathering dust! Thank you so much! The next chapter is due to be released on January 1st; please check my profile for updates. I'll do my best; I'm going on vacation tomorrow so I'm not sure if I'll have time to write much.**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 25 December 2012**

**Updated 24 March 2013**


	3. Chapter 2: No Turning Back

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc. Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

The brunet stood in front of the Ninth with the baby hitman standing on his shoulder. Tsuna wore a sleek black suit with a white dress shirt and a bright orange tie to represent his pure sky flames. Reborn wore his usual suit and Leon sat comfortably on his fedora, easily within reach if needed. Despite Tsuna's calm outward appearance, he was actually extremely nervous on the inside. He had made his decision a while back, not long after he and the others returned from the future and defeated Byakuran. But making the decision and carrying it out were two completely different things.

The Ninth watched Tsuna from behind his desk, quietly observing the small flinches and shudders that Tsuna was unable to suppress. He signaled to the man behind him, who was the main source of Tsuna's discomfort. Tsuna flinched slightly as the intimidating man emerged from the shadows of the room and approached the Ninth.

"Ah, Coyote, do you mind leaving the room?" the Ninth asked politely, glancing at Tsuna and Reborn to show the reason behind the unusual request. Coyote nodded and quietly exited the room, closing the door tightly behind him.

As soon as the Storm Guardian left, Tsuna relaxed visibly, until Reborn jumped up and kicked Tsuna's head with his left foot. Said brunet fell onto the floor clutching his head, yelping in pain as tears threatened to spill. Nearly a year of training with Reborn didn't make him immune to the sadistic tutor's brutal training methods.

"Dame-Tsuna, don't let your guard down so easily. You never know when enemies are lurking around." The sun arcobaleno hopped onto the Ninth's desk, staring at his student in amusement.

"Reborn!" Tsuna whined in pain, before remembering that he was in the Ninth's presence. He immediately stood up and attempted to resume his calm expression, one eye closed from the throbbing of his injured head. "N-ninth!" Tsuna immediately went into a 90-degree bow in respect.

"Tsunayoshi, you need not to show such respect to me," the Ninth said. Tsuna straightened up in embarrassment, but one smile from the Ninth had him grinning in return. The happy atmosphere remained for a while, as the Ninth asked about the trip from Japan and how his experience has been in Italy in the few days that he has been there. With the next question, however, the atmosphere abruptly changed.

"Tsunayoshi, where are your Guardians?" The Ninth asked the question casually; he already knew the answer but he wanted to hear it from Tsuna, again. Tsuna visibly stiffened and looked away, avoiding the gaze of the Ninth. The Ninth watched Tsunayoshi carefully, who appeared to wither under his stern gaze. "Tsunayoshi, I already talked to you about this. _Where are your Guardians?_"

"They…are…in Japan," Tsuna whispered, relenting to the power of the Ninth. His gaze was still averted and he clasped his fingers together in an effort of stop from shaking. Reborn looked at the pitiful state of his student and lowered his fedora to cover his pained expression. The Ninth sighed and pinched the area between his eyes. There was no questioning Tsuna's resolve on this topic; it already resulted in a heated argument over the phone a week before Tsuna was supposed to arrive.

The Ninth sighed; there was nothing more to say on the subject that wasn't said already. "You may leave Tsunayoshi." Tsuna glanced up, still avoiding the Ninth's gaze. He bowed again and began to walk toward the door when he realized that Reborn wasn't following him. Reborn looked up at this and tilted his fedora upwards so that his student could see the smirk on his face. Tsuna shuddered; Reborn smirking would only mean pain and suffering in the long run.

"Go ahead back to the room. I want to talk to the Ninth for a while."

Tsuna nodded slowly in response and left the room quietly, knowing exactly what they were going to talk about. As soon as Tsuna left, Reborn turned to face the Ninth, a serious expression on his infant face.

"You couldn't change his opinion?" the Ninth asked, a sad look in his eyes. Reborn shook his head, his expression mirroring the Ninth's. The Ninth sighed, and closed his eyes in regret. "There was no choice…" he tried to convince himself. Reborn could only nod in agreement; they were the ones that "ruined Tsuna's life". His previous innocent life was destroyed, unable to return to. Knowing this, and seeing how easily everyone else had gone back to their regular lives, Tsuna had resolved to take on the burden of the mafia by himself, abandoning his Guardians in a desperate attempt to protect them from the unavoidable bloodshed in the future.

Reborn walked over to the Ninth, who had his elbows on the desk and was covering his face with his hands. He laid one tiny hand on the Ninth's arm, his way of comforting the feared mafia boss.

"It was his decision to do this. No amount of persuasion could convince his to take a different path right now." The Ninth could only nod in response and looked up, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. There was no reason for him to feel embarrassed; anything that happened between Reborn and himself stayed between them.

"What about the rings?" the Ninth asked. Reborn glanced up and sighed.

"He wanted to take those away too. I managed to convince him that taking the rings away would raise too much suspicion for now; he doesn't want them to suspect anything and continue with their normal lives." Reborn answered. The Ninth allowed a small smile; perhaps there was a small chance in getting the Guardians back by Tsuna's side.

"What do you suggest we do now, Reborn? If we suddenly bring the Guardians here, Tsuna will surely just push them away even more." Reborn pulled his fedora down over his eyes; he had already put thought into this and after long contemplation, came up with a solution. He didn't particularly like it, but he had no choice because of his reckless student's decision.

"I will fill in for the Guardians." The Ninth stared at Reborn, an incredulous look on his face. Reborn turned away slightly to show the seriousness of his decision. "I know that I can't completely take their place, but it will have to do until Tsuna comes to his senses."

"Reborn…" The Ninth could only stare in deep gratitude; Tsuna would need support for the daunting task of taking over the Vongola. Originally, the Guardians would be the ones giving that support, but since Tsuna had forcibly pushed his Guardians away in a feeble attempt to protect them, Reborn would have to do. The Ninth had been hesitant about asking the Greatest Hitman in the World to do so, but it seemed like he didn't have to worry about that anymore. "Thank you."

Reborn turned to once again face the Ninth and lifted up his fedora, to once again reveal his smirking face. "A hitman must see his task through to the end. And my task isn't done until Tsuna can successfully become the tenth Vongola boss."

The Ninth nodded. "We just have to hope that he will realize that he can't do it without them. And before it's too late."

* * *

_My heart broke at the mention of my Guardians, my closest friends. I almost gave in, calling them back and clinging to them without a care. But that would be selfish of me. They deserve to live normal lives, the lives that they had before they met me. I shouldn't be the reason that they put their lives in danger every day. I'm sure that Yamamoto would want to return to baseball, and Onii-san to boxing. Hibari-san mainly wants to protect Namimori, so traveling around the world on missions won't suit him. Lambo is still a kid and Chrome is too timid for the mafia life. Gokudera will find someone else to look up to; he already is friends with Yamamoto after all. I'm just a burden…_

* * *

**A/N: Hi guys! I'm back! I decided to update this one day early because I'm not sure whether I'll be busy tomorrow. The next chapter should be updated at the end of this week, maybe sooner. I just have to edit it but school restarts next week, so anticipate slightly slower updates. I'll let you know about the updates on my profile.**

**Thank you so much for the continuous support! I hope that I live up to your expectations. And no, its not a dark!Tsuna fic or a revenge fic, just poor Tsuna suffering from the mafia life. :D**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 31 December 2012**

**Updated 24 March 2013**


	4. Chapter 3: Determination and Loyalty

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc. Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Note: Chrome had transferred to their class one week after they arrived back from the future**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

The two Guardians stared at the empty desk of their friend, not bothering to listen to the lesson (Gokudera because he already knew it and Yamamoto because he didn't care). They both had zoned out and were deep in thought about Tsuna's disappearance. Tsuna was more than their boss: he was their friend, just like how they were more than his Guardians. They couldn't help but feel worried when Tsuna hadn't come to school for the whole week, still not back from whatever he was doing. All the Guardians, except Lambo, agreed to meet up at the rooftop during lunch to discuss Tsuna's disappearance.

The bell rang for lunch; Gokudera and Yamamoto practically leapt out of their seats in their desperation to get to the Guardian meeting. When heading out of the classroom, however, they found their way blocked by their classmates.

"Yamamoto, you haven't come to baseball practice for a while now. Are you planning on coming back any time soon?" a baseball teammate asked.

"Sorry sorry! I've been busy. I don't think I'll be able to make practice any time soon though." Yamamoto replied, his trademark grin on his face as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck in apology. His teammates frowned at his answer, obviously wondering what was keeping their ace player from playing his favorite sport. As Yamamoto was occupied with his teammates, a flock of girls approached Gokudera, who was uncomfortable with the attention he was receiving.

"Neh, Gokudera-san. Now that Dame-Tsuna is gone, you could spend more time getting to know us, right?" One of the girls asked innocently. It was obvious that they were jealous of the attention that Tsuna had with the two most popular students in the school, three if you count Kyoko. Gokudera glared at the girls' stupidity as they continued to pester him and insult his beloved boss. Yamamoto noticed this; he too was getting annoyed at the persistence of the baseball team. Their classmates had never seen Tsuna outside of his dame self, so they don't know the Tsuna that they look up to. The two Guardians struggled to escape the persistent questioning of their classmates; they were eager to go up to the rooftop to discuss about their missing friend. All discussion stopped as they heard a quiet voice coming from the back of the classroom.

"Umm…If you guys don't hurry up, then we will be late…" The girls surrounding Gokudera turned around to see Chrome walking toward the two Guardians, head turned down to avoid the glares of their classmates as she waited patiently for them to finish their conversations. Instead of everyone leaving, they immediately redirected their attention to the timid girl, chastising her for spending so much time with Gokudera and Yamamoto. Chrome looked uncomfortable at the fury of the girls and the baseball team; all she wanted to do was alert the two Guardians about the wrath of Hibari that they were going to receive for arriving late to the rooftop meeting. It had, after all, taken a lot of persuasion and a few bruises to convince him that it was imperative that he had to go (along with the threat of his battle partner disappearing for good).

"Stop it." Everyone froze and turned around to see the source of the stern voice, shocked to see that it came from Yamamoto. The rain Guardian had snapped, which was unusual for the usually calm and tranquil Guardian. His expression was cold and piercing, his normally bright eyes dark and overcast in anger. His hands were clenched in tight fists, shaking from the effort to stop himself from punching something. Gokudera stood behind him, his usual angry scowl plastered on and his fingertips itching to take out his dynamite. He knew, however, that harming innocent people would deeply upset his absent boss and refrained from doing so, but just barely. It would also greatly anger Hibari, who was already annoyed at having to go to their meeting. Therefore, he knew that Yamamoto could take care of it, since his interference would leave their school as a pile of rubble (and Hibari hard on his tail).

An involuntary shiver passed through the crowd, not understanding what caused Yamamoto's anger but knowing that one false move could definitely set him off. The crowd of students parted for Yamamoto as he made his way to Chrome, who still looked slightly unnerved but otherwise fine. Gokudera followed close behind, glaring at anyone that still stared at Chrome. "Are you ok?" Yamamoto asked quietly, his gaze softening as he glanced over the fragile Guardian. The mist Guardian nodded and relaxed slightly as the storm and rain turned to face the now cowering students.

"You guys don't have the right to talk about Tsuna like that. You don't know him at all," the rain Guardian stated simply, glaring one last time to get the message across before walking out the door, Gokudera and Chrome close behind him. As soon as they left, everyone ran out the door in an attempt to follow the trio, wanting answers about his vague statement. But when they reached the hallway, there was no one in sight, the hallway empty and deserted, leaving everyone confused as the same thought ran through their thick heads.

"_What is so special about Dame-Tsuna?"_

* * *

Back in Italy, a young mafia boss sneezed several times without warning.

* * *

"I made an illusion hiding us, so that no one will follow us," Chrome said quietly, wanting to let the two Guardians know that there was no risk of being followed as she clenched her materialized trident. She too was upset after watching their classmates talk about Tsuna like he was worthless. "Boss" was the one that took her in and the first to accept her after she was abandoned by her family, after Mukuro-sama.

Both of the Guardians relaxed at Chrome's words, no longer needing to worry about their classmates following them. They were tired of dealing with their classmates and the ridiculous rumors that they came up with about Tsuna's disappearance. The rumors varied greatly, from Tsuna having moved away to Tsuna being in a hospital after jumping off a cliff (random, but it was clear from the rumors that the students believed that Tsuna had enough of his stupidity and attempted suicide). For the majority of the week, they ignored the rumors (with the exception of Hibari, who claimed that the rumors were "disturbing the peace").

Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, I think I overdid it there," he said as they continued hurrying to the rooftop.

"Che. They deserved it after what they said about the Tenth. They don't know anything about him." Gokudera turned to face Yamamoto, anger still glinting fiercely in his eyes. "They deserved that and more. Those idiots! We should have beaten them for disrespecting the Tenth that way!"

"Now now Gokudera. I think that they got the message." After seeing Yamamoto's anger, it was clear that their classmates knew not to talk down on Tsuna in front of them. It wouldn't stop the rumors and gossip, but at least it would make the situation a bit better.

Chrome could only nod in agreement; they all heard the rumors and struggled to keep their feelings under control, with varying degrees of success. It was no surprise that one of them would eventually snap, it was just a question of when and who. Gokudera and Chrome weren't particularly surprised that Yamamoto was the one that snapped first, since Gokudera snapping would be dangerous and Chrome would leave them mentally ill. At least Yamamoto had the most control over his actions despite being angry.

They arrived at the rooftop and burst through the door, gratefully taking in the fresh air after being seated in the classroom for so long. It wasn't long, however, before they noticed a flash of steel on the other side of the rooftop.

"I will bite you to death for being late, herbivores."

The three Guardians look around the rooftop to see Ryohei and Hibari already there waiting. Hibari, however, had his tonfas out and looked annoyed at being called to a meeting where the Guardians were late. Ryohei, who was standing behind Hibari, was desperately trying to calm him down. They tensed in preparation of a fight; Hibari is always unpredictable.

"Hibari! Let's EXTREMELY let them off the hook this time. We have EXTREMELY more important stuff to talk about!" Ryohei persisted, one hand on Hibari's shoulder in order to restrain the cloud Guardian if needed. After a minute of hesitation, Hibari sheathed his tonfas and walked to the edge of the roof, leaning on the fence as if avoiding the "crowding of herbivores". Sensing that Hibari won't attack them at the moment, the three Guardians relaxed and made their way to the center of the roof, where they were joined by Ryohei as they sat down in a circle.

"Where were you guys?! I EXTREMELY had to convince Hibari to stay here, not to mention that this is an EXTREME meeting!"

"Sorry sorry! We got held up by our classmates." Ryohei became quiet after that and Hibari listened intently, suppressing the urge to go punish some more herbivores. The rumors had spread all throughout the school; there was no one that didn't know that Tsuna was missing.

"A-anyways, we should get started," Chrome said, still holding her trident to keep the students away from the rooftop. They didn't want anyone to overhear or interfere with their meeting.

"Yeah! Where EXTREMELY is Sawada?! I EXTREMELY didn't see him all week!" At this, Yamamoto and Gokudera looked away, worry evident in their expressions. It was Chrome that answered, having heard from them the first day.

"Boss…isn't home," she said quietly. "He left…"

"WHAT?! I EXTREMELY DID NOT KNOW THIS!" Ryohei looked upset that he wasn't informed of this earlier; the three Guardians were hoping that Tsuna would come back later in the week. Ryohei thought that Tsuna was sick, or had some logical reason for not being able to come to school.

"The herbivore isn't in Namimori," Hibari corrected. The four Guardians turned toward the cloud Guardian. Hibari was examining Hibird, who had just landed on his outstretched finger. No further explanation was needed as to how Hibari knew. After coming back from the future, the Guardians knew not to question Hibari's extensive information network.

"Then…where did the Tenth disappear to? *gasp* Don't tell me that he was abducted by UMAs!" Everyone sweat dropped at the ridiculous idea. Hibari stood up and began heading toward the door.

"Hibari-san, where are you going?" Yamamoto asked. The cloud Guardian glanced back before continuing toward his destination.

"I despise crowding with herbivores. And there are some that need to be bitten to death." Hibari left, leaving an awkward silence between the remaining Guardians. After a while, they continued brainstorming reasons as to why Tsuna had left.

"Maybe Tsuna wanted to play hide and seek?"

"Stupid sword freak! Why would then Tenth do that?!"

"Shut up octopus-head! I EXTREMELY didn't hear you give a better idea!"

"What was that lawn-head?! At least I had an idea!"

"What?!"

Gokudera and Ryohei stood up, bumping heads as if trying to prove that they are right. It took the combined effort of Yamamoto and Chrome to get the two hot-headed Guardians to calm down and resume the meeting. After a few more minutes…

"Maybe…the Tenth is training outside of the city?" Gokudera suggested.

"That would EXTREMELY make sense!"

"I see! That's why the kid left with him!"

"Boss…"

"Yosh! That means that we have to train too! We can't let the Tenth be the only one powered up when he gets back!" All the Guardians cheer and leave the rooftop to begin preparations for their own training. Chrome stays behind, a bit hesitant about the conclusion that they came up with. Although it was a sensible one, she knew that Boss wasn't the type to disappear without warning for so long. She knew how much Boss cared for them, how concerned he was about their wellbeing.

She gasped, an idea having popped up about Tsuna's disappearance. "Maybe…" she speculated. Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar laughter in her head.

_Kufufufu. An interesting conclusion, my dear Chrome._

"Mukuro-sama?" Chrome asked, waiting for a reply. There was no answer, simply silence from the second mist Guardian, as if hiding what he knows about Tsuna's disappearance.

* * *

**A/N: Hello there! I hope you are satisfied with this longer chapter. :D But the next chapter may be updated in 2 weeks because of school...the latest will be January 20th. Please let me know what you think of this chapter. I had a bit of trouble writing it...But I imagined them coming to the wrong conclusion. Tsuna actually leaving them is too unbelievable after all.**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 6 January 2013**

**Updated 24 March 2013**


	5. Chapter 4: Revealing the Broken Sky

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc. Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

The young mafia boss sat in one of the 7 offices in the Vongola mansion. The one that he was currently located in was the office for the leader of the Vongola, the ones that wield the legendary Sky flame. The desk at which Tsuna was sitting at was located along the left wall, in plain sight from the doorway. A long arch-shaped window is located to the right of Tsuna, looking out into the well-kept gardens of the Vongola. Behind Tsuna, there were two sofas facing each other, with a small round coffee table located in between. The room was sparsely decorated; the Ninth didn't want lavish decorations distracting him from his paperwork. The gardens were an exception: they provided peace and calm to his otherwise stress-filled work. All of the previous generations thought the same, which explained the window's survival through Primo's time, despite many redecorations of the rooms in the mansion over the years.

Since the Ninth was still the official leader of the Vongola, Tsuna was currently staying in one of the many guest rooms. The office at which he was working at was actually the Ninth's, who lent it to Tsuna to do his own paperwork. The Ninth was currently out of the country on important business; his Guardians were out on various missions around the world. This left Tsuna and Reborn in the mansion alone, with the exception of the maids and butlers that worked there.

Once arriving at the mansion, Tsuna had managed to convince Reborn and the Ninth that school was of least importance compared to the mafia life that he was being thrown into. It took a lot of persuasion, but even Reborn had begrudgingly agreed, knowing that Tsuna would be more "Dame" in school since he didn't speak Italian. Because of this language block, Tsuna was taking a few hours of each day to study with Reborn, both the language and the culture. It was now routine to the young brunet: training in the morning, paperwork in the afternoon, and studying in the evening.

In front of Tsuna were two stacks of paperwork, currently at least two feet high. He was currently going through it, having finished lunch not long ago. The paperwork consisted of forms that he had to fill out regarding him taking over as Decimo, as well as reassuring allied families that he will follow the alliance and threatening enemy families that he won't tolerate them stepping out of line. A change of leadership is also a challenge of leadership; of course, there were many that thought that the young brunet wasn't able to be the leader of the strongest mafia family, especially since he wasn't raised in the mafia. This resulted in a huge amount of paperwork, to the point where it would be impossible to complete alone. Usually the Guardians would help to fill out some, alleviating the workload on the newly appointed boss; however, since they were still in Japan, Tsuna had the responsibility of filling it out on his own. The Ninth had his own paperwork and meetings to attend to; as much as he wanted to help the young brunet, he didn't have any spare time to. Reborn, on the other hand, took the time to help Tsuna, knowing that the young brunet would work himself to exhaustion otherwise.

* * *

Tsuna heard a tentative knock at the door, the sound echoing in the quiet room. He didn't look up, or make any move to answer the door. Reborn would have scolded him for this, but he was running an errand (Tsuna had no idea and didn't want to know what the hitman was doing), saving the brunet another smack on the head. Instead, the young brunet called for the person waiting outside to come in, too focused on the paperwork in front of him.

The door opened and revealed the Chiavarone boss waiting outside, with Romario standing to the side.

"Lil' Bro! I wanted to visit earlier but things came up," Dino said, walking into the room with Romario following close behind. Both of them were wearing black tuxedos with white dress shirts, Dino having an orange tie and Romario having a plain black one.

"Dino-san, you didn't have to come to see me if you were so busy," Tsuna said, putting down his paperwork and turning to face the former disciple of Reborn. Dino froze, not knowing what to say or do at the sight in front of him.

Tsuna was dressed similarly, the only difference being the dress shirt was orange and the tie was white. His light brown hair was spiking up as usual, defying gravity in incomprehensible ways. This wasn't what startled the blonde: it was Tsuna's appearance.

The young boss was frightfully pale and visibly skinnier, as if he hadn't been outside and had been skipping meals. His normally expressive eyes were now a dull brown, blood-shot and half-open, with dark bags under them to show the lack of sleep. There was a slight flush to his cheeks, as if Tsuna had a slight fever. The hands holding the papers were shaking, making it appear as if it was an effort to continue holding them.

Dino was shocked; two weeks of the mafia life had changed the brunet in such a negative way. The brunet before him looked completely different to the one from his memories of the future. That one was confident, strong, and did whatever was needed to accomplish what he thought was right with his resolve. The one before him looked unbearably fragile and barely able to lift a finger, let alone lead the Vongola.

"Dino-san?" Dino immediately snapped out of his trance and walked over to Tsuna, engulfing him in a gentle hug. The brunet was surprised at the sudden action, but didn't need an explanation. A daily glance in the mirror already told him what others thought of him. Even Reborn's best efforts couldn't prevent Tsuna from inwardly destroying himself.

"Tsuna…what are you doing to yourself?"Dino said softly. He grasped the brunet's shoulders firmly, noting that the brunet was quite warm to the touch, and forced Tsuna to look at him in the eyes. "This can't continue. You must call your Guardians here now."

There was a slight pause, Tsuna's eyes widening as he absorbed Dino's words.

"N-no! I won't allow it! I won't allow them to be hurt because of me again!" Tsuna forcefully broke away from Dino's grasp and brought his legs up onto the seat, his hands tightly grasping his head and eyes opened wide in fear and anguish. If it wasn't for the situation at hand, Dino would have found Tsuna's imitation of a ball quite impressive.

The seemingly simple statement had evoked an explosive reaction in Tsuna, which startled the blonde.

"Tsuna…" Dino reached out to comfort the quivering brunet, but the brunet flinched away from his hand and he quickly retracted it, not wanting Tsuna to fall off the chair and injure himself. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted.

"Dino. What did you do this time?"

Dino jumped at the voice. The voice was familiar, yet foreign. He could detect the slightest bit of killer intent behind it, which sent a shiver down Dino's spine. The blonde turned around slowly, only to find a familiar black blur shooting past him, scattering paperwork all over the desktop and the floor. The hitman took one glance at the utterly frozen brunet before turning to face his first student with a cold, hard glare; one much fiercer than the ones that Dino had encountered when he was still Reborn's student. It was a glare that promised excruciating pain for the one it was for.

"I-I…I don't know!" Dino cried out in despair, wanting nothing more than Tsuna's pain to disappear. It hurt him greatly to see Tsuna like this; not only did it affect his pride as the younger's older brother, but it was painful to see someone that he cared about to be so broken. Reborn nodded, the glare dissipating as he walked toward the brunet, paperwork still scattering everywhere as he squatted down to be eyelevel with the brunet.

"Tsuna." Said brunet didn't answer, eyes gazing at something in the distance, lost in the deep recesses of his mind. "Tsuna." When the brunet still didn't answer, the hitman gently reached out and touched one of the rings on Tsuna's exposed hand. The ring glowed orange for a while, before Natsu appeared, jumping onto the desktop to join Reborn. The lion cub turned to face Tsuna with a sad look, before licked its master gently on the cheek in an act of comfort.

"Can you watch over him for a while?" The young cub nodded in response, gaze still focused on Tsuna and his lack of response.

"Gao…" Natsu resumed licking the brunet's cheek, comforting the brunet in the only way the cub could, with its presence and support.

Reborn watched for a while, knowing that Natsu completely understood what Tsuna was going through because of the bond that they shared, before jumping off the desk and walking through the still-open door, gesturing for Dino and Romario to follow.

* * *

Once the door to the office was closed tightly behind the trio, Reborn jumped up and kicked Dino squarely in the forehead, causing the blonde to yelp and double over in pain.

"R-Reborn! What was that for?!" the blonde whimpered, caressing the tender bump on his head. Romario stood to the side; it was a common occurrence in the past, so there was no reason to get involved. He knew that Reborn was a trusty tutor and hitman, and always thought of the best for his students.

"Punishment," Reborn smirked, tilting his fedora up so that Dino could see the playful glint in his eyes.

Dino was about to retaliate and tell Reborn that kicking his head wasn't necessary, but was distracted when he suddenly noticed in the hitman's appearance.

The sun arcobaleno had signs that he wasn't getting enough sleep. The slight sag in his usually proud shoulders, the faint bags under his eyes, the tired smirk that Dino was receiving. Dino frowned. _'So Reborn is also worried about Tsuna…' _It was impossible to imagine that the greatest hitman in the world was exhausted. But the sight in front of him said otherwise.

"Reborn…"

Reborn grabbed the tip of his fedora and immediately brought it down to cover his expression. A slight murderous aura was emitted from the baby hitman, but even that seemed to take effort.

"Any mention of Tsuna's Guardians is now forbidden in the mansion."

Dino stared at the hitman in concern and shock, before his expression settled to one of worry. "…It's that bad huh?"

The hitman could only nod in response, his fedora still covering his expression. "He is emotionally unstable and constantly overworking himself. He refuses to eat or sleep, preferring to forget everything while doing his paperwork…" Reborn trailed off, which was unusual for the hitman.

Dino turned to stare at the closed door separating Tsuna from them, sadness reflected in his eyes. "Tsuna…why are you doing this?" It was a pointless question, and everyone standing there knew that. They knew the answer to the question; it was a painful answer yet true.

"Tsuna is too kind, too innocent for his own good." Reborn grimaced. This characteristic was what made Tsuna who he was, the person that was looked up to and followed loyally. But now, it was leading to his downfall. Because of it, the sky was breaking, falling, _dying_. If they didn't stop him soon, Tsuna could overwork himself and collapse from exhaustion, and maybe even work himself to death, all for his Guardians, his friends.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Dino asked. He thought for a minute before his face lit up, fists clenched in determination as an idea popped into his mind. "We could take Tsuna back to Namimori and-"

"_NO."_

Dino stopped and turned to face his former teacher. "Why not?! I'm sure that seeing everyone again will-"

Reborn's cold glare had him frozen, unable to say another word. "The Ninth had ordered that nothing will be done about Tsuna's Guardians without Tsuna's consent. Can you imagine the questions that they will ask, the lies that he would have to tell, the pain that he would have to go through when he leaves them again? Do you think they would even allow him to leave a second time? Do you think Tsuna would actually agree to go because of this?"

Dino was shocked; he hadn't thought of any of those consequences. He would have caused Tsuna more pain without knowing it. Still, he persisted; they couldn't leave Tsuna like that! "But Reborn-"

"_**NO."**_

Intense killer intent was emitted by the hitman, as if daring Dino to say another word, which would be the same as a death sentence. In the silence, a soft crying could be heard with barely audible mewls, causing everyone to once again turn to the shut door.

Reborn's gaze softened again. He walked toward the shut door, laying a hand on it before turning to face Dino, a blank yet serious expression on his baby face.

"It would be best if you leave right now." Dino nodded in response and walked down the hallway toward the entrance, not wanting to do something that would make Tsuna's condition worse. Romario watched his boss walking away, hesitating slightly and eventually turned to face Reborn.

"There have been reports that a Famiglia is preparing to attack the Vongola while there is still a transition in the leadership."

Reborn's eyes narrowed in response. "Do you know who it is?"

"As of right now, we have no evidence of any Famiglia doing such a thing. Either way, I would advise you to take the necessary precautions. Sawada-san is in no condition to protect himself and it is possible that his life may be targeted. Colonnello will be arrived in Italy tomorrow to assist in gathering information and in guarding Sawada-san."

"Colonnello huh…Thanks for the report, Romario."

"It was nothing." Romario walked off to follow Dino. Reborn turned to face the door in front of him once again, a tiny smirk on his face. But it immediately disappeared as he opened the door and quietly closed it shut behind him.

* * *

Dino sat in the car, head resting on his arm and staring out the window and deep in thought ever since visiting the Vongola mansion. They were now heading back to their mansion; it was getting late and Dino had meetings the following morning.

"Neh, Romario. When is the next opening in my schedule?"

Romario glanced at the rear-view mirror to see the expression on his boss's face, contemplating and thoughtful. "In a week, Boss. Why?"

Dino turned to face Romario, a serious look on his face, one of pure resolve. "I want to go to Namimori."

Romario was startled by the request. "B-but Boss…What about Reborn-san said?"

"I'll…do it for Tsuna's sake. I'm sure that he is worried about his Guardians. I'll just check up on them for him. They won't even know that I was there."

Romario thought for a bit, the image of Tsuna still fresh in his mind. Finally, he gave in despite the warning bells going off in his head. Otherwise, Dino would go by himself anyways. "Ok Boss."

* * *

_N-no! I'm not going to lose them again! I can't see them getting injured because of me, risking their lives because of my heritage. They don't deserve it! They don't deserve this type of life! I won't allow it…even if it means…breaking myself…_

* * *

**A/N: I'm not good with descriptions but I did my best. It doesn't even sound very heartbreaking... Oh well. I'll work on it more in the future. Sorry for the long wait and for that you get a longer chapter! I have two questions to ask you guys. **

**1. Give me the name of a possible Famiglia. Ally or enemy. Can be either English, Japanese, or Italian. Although, if it is one of the latter, please tell me what it means.**

**2. I'm not completely sure what the next chapter should be about. It will either be about the Guardians or Tsuna. Which do you want? I'll let you help me decide. Oh. But I might change my mind. Either way, your opinions do matter so please let me know.**

**Thank you to for helping me with the new summary and WaiiKitsune for helping me work out this chapter! You guys are the best! Also thank you to those that reviewed/faved/followed this story!**

**Next chapter should be before January 27th, depending on the amount of homework I have during the next week. I'm also developing another story idea; you should see that one near the beginning of February. Check my profile for any updates.**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 19 January 2013**

**Updated 24 March 2013**


	6. Chapter 5: Discovery

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc ****Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Beta'd by WaiiKitsune**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

Everyone in class jumped when _the_ Hibari Kyouya walked into the classroom without warning, his usual glare on his face. Everyone froze, not daring to make a sound as the cloud Guardian glanced around for the people he wanted to talk to. After making sure that they were all present, he spoke with as few words as possible.

"Storm. Rain. Mist. Rooftop." With that cryptic message (at least, to the other students), he left, the door still slightly ajar behind him. The three Guardians stood there in shock, each in their own thoughts as to why Hibari had called them, and _in the middle of class_, no less_._ Instead of pondering over it, however, they stood up and made their way to the open doorway, knowing better than to be late with Hibari.

If Hibari had interrupted class, it could only mean that he had urgent news, and the fact that he referred to their titles meant that it could only be about the one thing that tied them together: _Tsuna_.

Three weeks have passed since Tsuna's disappearance and the Guardians were getting desperate. After Yamamoto's uncharacteristic loss of composure in public, the rumors about Tsuna had faded drastically, but never did fully disappear. Afraid of the Guardians' wrath, the rumors were now furiously whispered within the numerous hallways of the school, but all discussion halted whenever the Guardians were within earshot. While this was an improvement and made dealing with the rumors a tad more bearable, it was still stressful and annoying to hear their dear friend talked about in such a way. The Guardians had to constantly remind themselves that the rumors could be dealt with later; their main priority was getting Tsuna back.

The class stared silently when Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Chrome stood up and walked toward the door without a word; the trio merely glanced at each other in understanding and urgency. They were nearly out the door when a voice broke through the silence, stopping them from leaving.

"H-Hey! Where are you going?!"

The trio turned around to face the one that spoke up. The student stood above his desk with an expression of confusion on his face. Everyone else in the class had a similar expression on, wondering why the trio –specifically the three of them- had responded to Hibari's order when it seemed that he was simply reciting a weather report (not that he would, but they had no idea what was the true meaning behind what Hibari's words). Their teacher was frozen, still shocked and terrified that _Hibari_ had walked into the classroom, since it usually meant that someone in class –including himself- was going to be bitten to death.

"Tch. Mind your own business." The Storm Guardian walked out the door without turning back. He couldn't be bothered with such trivial matters when information about his precious Tenth had been found. Yamamoto laughed in response to his fellow Guardian's actions and briefly turned to face the class.

"Well, you heard Hibari. We have to go to the rooftop! See ya!" And with that, Yamamoto and Chrome walked out to follow Gokudera, closing the door tightly behind them as they rushed to the rooftop.

As soon as the trio left, the class burst into discussion, everyone thinking up different ideas for the trio's hasty departure.

"No way! With Hibari?! It would be the same as being bitten to death!"

"No! Yamamoto-sama's face can't be scarred!"

"But what was with the weird weather report?"

"Maybe it was actually codenames?! That way, when they get in trouble, no one would know!"

"But that would mean that they _are_ in trouble!"

"Well, it's not like they are involved in anything dangerous like the mafia or something, right?"

Slowly, the teacher broke out of his stunned state and called the class back to order, with little success. Since the teacher was also rather curious what caused Hibari to visit their classroom, he was about to give up on calming down the class when the door slid open again with a loud slam. A dark, murderous aura could practically be seen around the person who had just slammed the door open, causing everyone to freeze in pure terror.

"Class order _will_ be maintained or you all will _be bitten to death_."

After the class was threatened into silence for the second time that day, Hibari nodded briefly in satisfaction to himself and left, having more important matters to deal with at the moment. A class spreading around meaningless rumors could wait, the matter at hand couldn't. They could always be bitten to death later; he had something more urgent and to attend to immediately.

The prefect turned and went back to his office to pick something up before continuing to the rooftop, having already called the Sun Guardian before the others.

* * *

Yamamoto, Chrome, and Gokudera arrived at the rooftop to find Ryohei already there, restlessly pacing in anticipation.

"Oh, sempai! You're already here! Did Hibari-san call you here as well?" Ryohei looked up from his intense pacing, not having noticed the three Guardians earlier.

"Of course! He told me to come here and I extremely ran here!" The three Guardians sweatdropped at the response.

"Well, I wonder what Hibari found out. It must be important since he went through the trouble to pull us out of class," Yamamoto continued.

"Of course sword freak! It must be related to the Tenth! It has to be! There is nothing more important than the Tenth right now!" Gokudera declared, and everyone sweatdropped again. There were times that Gokudera seemed more like a loyal and obedient puppy than a human.

Before they could discuss the matter any further, they jumped as a familiar and creepy voice was heard in their minds.

_Kufufufu…Your guess is right, little puppy._ Chrome gasped as her animal ring began to glow, violent flames bursting from her animal ring before Mukurou appeared, flying in circles above their heads before settling on the metal fence that lined the roof. Mismatched eyes of blue and red watched them with a glint of amusement within them and all of the Guardians, except for Chrome, shivered at the new presence.

"Mukuro-sama. What brings you here?" Chrome asked the owl, after blushing shyly and bowing in respect.

"Bastard! What are you doing here?! Did you do something to the Tenth?!" Gokudera exclaimed. His patience was being tested, stretched to the limit as they waited for Hibari to arrive. He took a menacing step forward, only to be stopped by Yamamoto, who had stretched an arm across Gokudera's front, holding him still by the shoulder. Gokudera turned to glare at the rain and opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted by Mukuro.

_Kufufu…I simply wanted to see your reactions when you find out where Sawada Tsunayoshi had gone._ The owl tilted its head sideways and appeared to smirk in amusement at the Guardians.

Gokudera struggled violently, as Ryohei joined Yamamoto to hold down Gokudera by the shoulders to stop him from attacking the owl. "You…you bastard! So you _do_ know what happened to the Tenth!" He twisted and turned in their grasp, but with Yamamoto on one side and Ryohei on the other, he couldn't escape their iron grip. "Let me go!" he hissed angrily.

"We extremely can't let you go octopus-head!" Ryohei exclaimed as Yamamoto nodded in agreement, their attention focused on restraining Gokudera. Mukuro watched the rather entertaining sight of the three Guardians struggling in amusement while Chrome stood slightly to the side, not wanting to get involved in the conflict.

_So what if I do? I simply keep track of the vessel that I will use to destroy the mafia._

At this, the three Guardians froze and turned to face the owl, an incredulous look on each of their faces. If Gokudera wanted to, he could have broken free of Yamamoto's and Ryohei's hold, whose grasps had loosened as they stared in shock. Yet, he too, was shocked, rendering him unable to move. Mukuro's answer brought back his earlier question, but he simply couldn't snap out of his daze to ask.

"You mean…you know where Tsuna is?" Yamamoto asked, a flicker of hope gleaming in his hazel orbs."Wh…where is he?"

The owl opened its beak, as if to reply, when it was interrupted by the rooftop door slamming open, closely followed by a thud and a yell that made it spread its magnificent wings instead, taking off into the skies to find a better perch that was out of range from the just-arrived skylark.

"Ow…Kyouya…let me go!"

The Guardians turned to the door and found Hibari leaning on the doorframe, his expression seemingly darker, grumpier, and annoyed than usual. But they were more intrigued at the sight of a strangely familiar blond in front of them, handcuffed and roughly shoved forward. The blond had tripped as a result and landed face first. When the blond finally looked up, it was to see the looks of shock on the faces of those present.

"The…The Bucking Horse?!"

* * *

**A/N: Let's say thank you to my new beta, WaiiKitsune! The chapter turned out a lot better with her! And I managed to get the chapter out one day early~**

**So the next chapter(s) will be about the Guardians. You will have to wait to find out about Tsuna~ The next update should be before next Sunday. That's the plan but I'm working on my second story so we shall see. Part of it is written already so I should be able to keep the deadline.**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 26 January 2013**

**Updated 24 March 2013**


	7. Chapter 6: Truth and Misunderstanding

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc ********Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Beta'd by WaiiKitsune**

**Warning for harsh language.**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

Dino yelped as he was shoved forward without a care, causing him to trip over his own feet and fall flat on his face. With his arms handcuffed behind his back by his own student, he was unable to catch himself in time, not that he would have been able to anyways.

"Ow…Kyouya…let me go!"

He craned his neck upwards to get a bearing of where he was, having been dragged most of the way to the rooftop. During the short length of his journey, Dino had concentrated on not tripping over his own two feet (in public) and was unable to even look at where he was going – or rather, being _dragged_ to. In hindsight, he really should have expected the outcome though, he really should have. But that didn't stop him from wincing as he noticed that he was on the rooftop, with all of Tsuna's Guardians (excluding Lambo) staring at him with shocked faces.

"The…The Bucking Horse?!" He heard Gokudera gasp out.

Dino groaned. It was going to be a long day. Not to mention…

He paled at the thought.

…Reborn was going to _kill him._

* * *

_Dino had just arrived in Namimori a few hours earlier with only Romario accompanying him. He wanted to prevent Reborn from finding out for as long as possible, and more importantly, it would be difficult to remain inconspicuous if he had all of his bodyguards._

_After hearing about Tsuna officially taking over as Vongola Decimo, and his conditions for doing so, Dino had been wondering how the Guardians felt about Tsuna's decision. Afterwards, he had gone to see Tsuna as soon as possible, and found the brunet looking nothing like his former self. This made him more determined to find out what the Guardians were doing, and whether they were still loyal to the brunet. He may be going against Reborn, but it was for his little brother. If Tsuna knew that they were still looking for him, perhaps he would realize that they need him as much as he needs them, and go back to them._

_They were currently staying at a local hotel and, after shrugging off his Right-Hand Man with much effort, Dino was walking around aimlessly around Namimori. While he knew that Tsuna's Guardians were still in school, he couldn't go and visit just like that, especially since he once posed as a teacher before. It would simply attract unnecessary attention. No, he had to observe the Guardians without getting caught. The question was, _'how?'

_If Dino had bothered to look up then, he would be thinking about something entirely different, since he would have seen a small yellow bird changing its course for Nami-chuu._

* * *

_Hibari leaned against the metal fence, on the rooftop while classes were in session. He stretched out a finger when he saw Hibird returning from its daily information collecting around Namimori. There was always the chance that Sawada Tsunayoshi would come back on his own, so he would send Hibird to scout for him, as well as any information that may pertain to his disappearance. Usually, the report would be "No herbivore, no herbivore." Today, however, the report was a bit different, and he listened carefully as the yellow bird landed lightly on his finger and opened its beak to speak._

"_Herbivore. Horse herbivore. Horse herbivore from Italy."_

_Hibari smirked at the new information, his eyebrows raised ever so slightly in amusement. It appeared that he was going to be able to gather some information today, and bite someone to death while at it. Hibird took off again, before circling around and nestling in Hibari's hair comfortably._

_The cloud Guardian quickly left the rooftop, wanting to catch his unsuspecting prey by surprise before class ended for the day. It would make it easier to round everyone up. He smirked._

_This was going to be an interesting day._

* * *

Dino almost sighed at the memory. He had been knocked out from behind by something hard and metallic (which he now knew was Hibari's tonfa) and woke up handcuffed in the Disciplinary Office. Once Hibari noticed that he was awake, he left, leaving Dino in the Office.

He had tried to escape, but with Romario still elsewhere in Namimori (most likely looking for him) and his arms handcuffed behind his back, his already terrible sense of balance was further diminished. He ended up landing flat on the floor and unable to get back on his feet, which was how Hibari found him when he came back. The cloud Guardian had refrained from "biting him to death", having instead given him a death glare and a threat, and now Dino knew why. The wrath of the other Guardians could make Hibari look like a cute and cuddly teddy bear.

Now the blond was stuck on the rooftop, with Enzo and his whip confiscated (left behind in the Disciplinary Office), and at the mercy of the Guardians before him.

Yup, it was going to be a long…and possibly pain-filled day.

* * *

Gokudera had been the first to snap out of his shock, grabbing Dino by the shirt and heaving him roughly to his knees. Dino winced at the harsh treatment, but said nothing. The Guardians didn't make a move or stop Gokudera despite having finally regained their senses. He knew that they were all extremely worried and desperate to find Tsuna, and would do _anything _to get information about the brunet.

But that didn't mean that he wanted to be on the receiving end of things.

"Where is the Tenth?!" Gokudera spat out, shaking the blond wildly a few times as an added threat. Dino shivered in fear and made a mental note to never get on the Guardians' bad side again. He deliberately avoided looking into the emerald green eyes in front of him, and instead allowed his eyes to wander around the rooftop. Eventually, they caught sight of Hibari, who had walked to the farthest side of the rooftop and leaned against the metal railings, obviously trusting that the Guardians wouldn't need his help in information gathering. Dino shivered inwardly this time, before being roughly shaken again for an answer.

"I…I don't know!" He inwardly cringed at his obvious hesitation; Reborn would have surely smacked him for answering with such an obvious lie.

The grip on his shirt tightened as he found himself yanked up to just below eyelevel with the bomber, who was still glaring down at him with obvious anger, frustration, and impatience.

"Don't give me any of that crap, Bucking Horse. I know that you know where the Tenth is so you better spill it." Gokudera's unusually calm voice frightened the blond, not to mention the harsh, cold glares that he was receiving from the rain and sun Guardians. Getting glares from the cloud Guardians was normal; but getting them from the normally cheerful Yamamoto and the highly energetic Ryohei had scared Dino more than he had expected. Furthermore, Dino's full attention was now on the owl –with distinctive mismatched eyes that practically declared its true identity– that had just alighted on Chrome's shoulder. Chrome herself had a slightly concerned look on her face, but worry was the most prominent feature. It appeared that Mukuro knew _exactly_ what had occurred and hadn't told the Guardians anything, if the sinister look on the owl's face was anything to judge by. The look warned Dino that he had better tell the _complete truth_ or else there would be _hell_ to pay. Dino shivered.

He wanted nothing more than to crawl into a dark corner and hide.

* * *

Hibari watched the herbivore as the owl made its presence known. His eyes narrowed as he spotted his "rival", but didn't move. It wouldn't be much fun to bite the owl to death, and if the future was anything to judge by, he would be able to bite the true pineapple herbivore to death soon.

The cloud Guardian watched the scene in front of him in mild amusement. He rather not bother with helping the temporary semi-carnivores with their information gathering; he had found them a source of information and fully expected them to be able to get what they wanted. Moreover, he already had a theory for the disappearance of Sawada Tsunayoshi. He didn't need to be concerned with what the herbivore was doing, the herbivore simply needed to be bitten to death for avoiding him, and therefore, their fights.

Dino stared back firmly into the mismatched eyes, gathering all of his determination and resolve as a Boss to not give in to the illusionist before him. Gokudera had helpfully turned Dino to Chrome's general direction and now the Guardians were watching the silent battle in amusement; they knew wouldn't be long before the blond cracked under the intense gaze of the male mist Guardian.

He caved in.

Dino sighed in obvious defeat and looked up with a grim face. He hadn't wanted to tell them this information; he wanted to respect his little brother's decisions. But that want was almost as great as Dino's desire to find someone to help the young –the _hurting_– mafia boss. And Dino knew, deep down, that no matter how much Tsuna had rejected, no matter what Reborn had ordered, that the Guardians –Tsuna's family– were the only ones able to do so.

"Tsuna is in Italy…."

He paused, carefully deciding if he wanted to tell the Guardians _everything._ However, with a single desperate look from the Guardians, Dino's resolve crumbled and he continued. They were the only ones that could help Tsuna at this point, and he had to hope that they would be able to bring back the _normal _Tsuna, the one who stands and supports his family as they support him.

"…as Vongola Decimo."

The Guardians were shocked. No, they were beyond shocked. Nothing could have prepared them for that answer. Deep down inside, each of the Guardians had considered that possibility, but they had dismissed it without a second though, choosing to trust in their friend instead. Now, with that one statement, that trust cracked. They didn't know what to think, what to do. Yet, even as their thoughts were thrown into turmoil, the Guardians couldn't help but hold onto a sliver of hope. Hope that things weren't as it seems. Hope that it was a misunderstanding.

Hope that they heard wrong.

_Wasn't he against joining the mafia? Didn't he deny the position of Decimo? Weren't they his most trusted friends? Why didn't he tell them? Why did he leave them?_

_**WHY?**_

* * *

Gokudera was heartbroken. The Tenth –no, _Tsuna– _was someone he had been looking for a long time. Tsuna had accepted him for who he was, unlike so many others who thought he wasn't worth it. After running away from his family, he drifted around in the Mafia with nowhere else to go, having been rejected by many families. Tsuna changed that, and for once in his life, he was _truly_ happy.

Was that all a lie? Does he really not belong anywhere?

_The furious storm dulled, no longer able to attack._

* * *

Yamamoto didn't understand. Tsuna was his best friend; and with Gokudera, the three of them were virtually inseparable. After finding out that he was being used by his baseball teammates, Tsuna was the one who helped him, who offered him advice. Sure, his advice wasn't that good in the beginning, but Tsuna was the only one who understood his _true_ feelings. The brunet had gone to become friends with him and they had going through so much together.

Was that all a lie? Was he just being used again?

_The blessed rain dried up, no longer able to settle any conflict or offer any comfort._

* * *

Ryohei was distraught. Ever since he met the young brunet, he had felt a need to protect the smaller, frailer boy and he had treated him as a younger brother. He respected Sawada and his ideals, and followed him because he wanted to see the smile that was brighter than the Sun itself on the brunet's face. Sawada had accepted his extreme personality and even went along with it.

Was that all a lie? Was he a terrible brother?

_The brilliant sun dimmed, no longer able to shine brightly or to destroy any misfortune._

* * *

Chrome felt abandoned. Boss was the first one after Mukuro-sama that took her in and made her feel accepted and important. After being abandoned by her family, she had lost all value in life, and Mukuro could only offer so much support from where he was in Vendicare Prison. Boss had taken her in and cared for her like she was a part of the family, a family she never had.

Was that all a lie? Was she really worthless?

_The bewildering mist swirled and disseminated, no longer able to conceal with deceit._

* * *

Hibari smirked in amusement. His theory proved to be correct. The herbivore had grown into a carnivore. Shouldn't he be happy about that? Isn't that what he wanted all along? If so, then why… Why was it that he couldn't help but feel like he lost something important? Without realizing it, he had grown to respect the herbivore known as Sawada Tsunayoshi. Meeting Sawada Tsunayoshi had allowed him to bite interesting herbivores to death, and made his life more than just protecting Namimori.

Was it all a lie? Was he going to spend his life biting weak and useless herbivores to death?

_The aloof cloud floated around, no longer able to remain aloof and boundless anymore._

* * *

**A/N: And…another cliffy! Kinda.**

**I reached 20+ reviews, 30+ faves, and 50+ followers! Thank you so much! *hands out Spanner-lollipops***

**So...I have some bad news. After much deliberation, I have decided that the next chapter will most likely be posted in two weeks. I want time to write a better chapter, so that my beta won't have to do all the editing. Also, I'm also working on my next story; the summary should be posted on my profile soon. I want time to work on both of my stories, and with school, that isn't happening right now. So...I'll have to slow down on updates for a little while. I **_**WILL**_** post it by February 17th, no matter what. This will give me time to stock up on future chapters as well.**

**But hey, I gave you a longer chapter! It wasn't going to be this long...let's just say someone wanted it longer and it motivated me to push through.**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 3 February 2013**

**Updated 24 March 2013**


	8. Chapter 7: Disbelief and Decision

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc ********Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Beta'd by WaiiKitsune****  
**

**Note: New cover pic. Permission give to use it by Palettesky. I do not own it. Also, the picture's size had to be slightly altered to fit the requirements of FF. See the actual pic below. **

**palettesky. tumblr image / 42691554058**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

Dino watched solemnly as the Guardians' expressions flickered rapidly, as quick as lightning. It changed from the initial shock, to mild anger (at who, Dino didn't really know) to pain, and lastly betrayal. Dino noted that the owl's look didn't seem to change, simply becoming more and more amused as time passed; he assumed that it was because Mukuro already knew what had occurred (how, Dino didn't know, nor was he sure if he wanted to know), and was simply observing the Guardians' rather entertaining reactions.

Dino desperately struggled to his knees, since Gokudera had released him in shock. The blond knew exactly what was running through their minds:

_Why did he leave us?_

_Did he betray us?_

_Abandon us…?!_

Dino cursed mentally; this was exactly what he was afraid of when he came to Namimori: that they would jump to the wrong conclusion without even hearing the real truth. Dino had to stop them before the damage was irreversible, before they left Tsuna because of a misunderstanding. They had to understand… _they just had to_!

"W-wait! It's not what you think!"

Gokudera slowly raised his faze from the cold floor to face the Cavallone Decimo, who had finally managed to get on his knees and was tilting dangerously to one side in an effort to stay upright. Dino was startled by the intensity of emerald green eyes gazing at him -they held so much pain, _loneliness_, and _**betrayal**_. Most of the Guardians had expressions that mirrored that of the Storm Guardian.

Despite understanding why they felt like that, Dino couldn't help but feel the anger well up within him. He had always held high respects for his precious little brother's Guardians; he always believed that everything that they had been through together was absolute proof of the trust and faith between Tsuna and his Guardians. Sure, Tsuna had been missing for several weeks now, but it didn't mean that all hope and trust was abandoned. No matter how shocking it was, Dino had thought that the Guardians could believe in their boss –their _family_– without any shred of hesitation. To think that they were moved so easily –and in the wrong direction, Dino barely managed to suppress the growl that threatened to escape his throat. If it wasn't because Dino knew that Tsuna's Guardians were the only ones that could save his little brother from himself, the Cavallone Decimo really wanted to whip them to shreds before walking away.

"What else could it be?" Gokudera replied, his voice eerily quiet and calm. "Why else did the Tenth leave us?"

"He extremely didn't want to join the mafia." Ryohei agreed, nodding grimly.

"Tsuna was never someone that would just leave like that." Yamamoto added on, a dark look on his face as he spoke.

"B…Boss…" Chrome whispered, hugging her trident tightly to herself.

"Now wait just a minute!" Dino's frantic voice cut through their thoughts. He wasn't going to risk coming all the way here and leave empty handed. "You can't seriously think that Tsuna just left you! Just think about why he did what he did!" Everyone turned to face the Cavallone Decimo again, with a new look of confusion on their faces. "Why do you think he decided to go to Italy?!" Dino continued, unconsciously struggling against the handcuffs in an effort to stand up and make a point.

"B...Because Boss left us…"Chrome replied with a quiet voice, easily heard in the silence of the rooftop. The Guardians all nodded in agreement, except for Hibari, who simply grunted. Dino's anger grew. If he wasn't tied up at the moment, he would have punched all of them for being so stupid. Were they _really_ this dense?

"No he didn't! He did it for you!" The handcuffs were digging painfully into his wrists now, but Dino could care less about the pain he was inflicting on himself. He _had _to get the Guardians understand before it was all too late. He _had to!_

"_Yeah right…" _The Guardians thought. _"It's so obvious; he no longer needs us so he abandoned us. We aren't needed anymore…"_

"He did it to protect you!" Dino gritted out, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice.

"_As if."_

"He didn't want to see you injured again!" He screamed, unable to hold his distress any longer.

"_Yeah…wait WHAT?!" _The Guardians, who had glanced away from Dino, turned to face the blond again in shock and disbelief after snapping out of their self-depreciative thoughts. While Hibari still remained rather stone-faced, Dino could see a hint of concern lingering in his student's stormy blue eyes. Mukuro, on the other hand, appeared to smirk in amusement.

"That's right! He did it to protect you!" Dino felt his anger subside, even by the slightest bit. By the looks on the Guardians' faces, he had finally gotten through to them. Perhaps there was still hope after all.

"N…no way…" Gokudera fell to his knees, his eyes wide open by the revelation. The other Guardians' expressions mirrored that of Gokudera's.

All of them had jumped to conclusions, had assumed that Tsuna –their _best friend_- had _abandoned them, _of all things_. _Unlike Tsuna, who believed in them no matter what happened, they had given up the very moment Dino mentioned that Tsuna had left them behind. Unlike Tsuna, who chose to believe them and stand by them first, choosing to leave the reasons to a later date, they had felt betrayed so easily. Tsuna didn't betray them; they were the ones who betrayed Tsuna's absolute trust in them. They had never felt so guilty for making that assumption about their best friend.

How could they have doubted him so easily? They had almost left their friend without questioning what he was doing, why he was doing it.

What had they almost done…?!

Dino decided to give the Guardians a few minutes to digest everything and get over their shock. It was getting horribly uncomfortable, kneeling on the cold, hard ground with his hands handcuffed behind his back; but Dino figured it was a sacrifice worth making if it meant helping Tsuna. As a Don himself, Dino knew it was often that small misunderstandings occurred between the boss and his subordinates, which often led to the destruction of smaller, unstable families. What was important at the moment was that they fix the misunderstanding and make sure that it doesn't happen again.

And, more important than anything else at the moment, get Tsuna back.

"He left to protect you guys," Dino reiterated, before continuing on. "He knew that he had unintentionally drawn you into the Mafia world. He didn't want your lives in danger anymore because of him, especially after what happened with both the Varia and in the future." The Guardians flinched at the statement. They knew that Tsuna didn't like seeing them injured on his behalf, but they didn't realize just how much worry they had caused the brunette.

"Because of this, he decided to take on the full burden of the Mafia on his own. He inherited the title of Vongola Decimo without any Guardians and left for Italy to begin his work as the next Don of Vongola."

The Guardians continued to stare at the blond, dumbfounded. Tsuna had gone to that extent –to join the Mafia that he despised and swore to _never_ join- to protect them. And what had they done in return? Almost _nothing_ in comparison. They were moved by the brunette's actions, but felt even guiltier at what they had almost done.

"S-so…Is the Tenth in Italy…with Reborn-san? Why didn't he tell us anything? Didn't Reborn-san object? T-to…leaving us behind, I mean…" If Gokudera's thoughts weren't still in turmoil, he would have cursed for stuttering. Stuttering meant weakness in the underground world; but he would let it slide this time. Next time, he won't let himself sound so pitifully weak, especially if it was for the Tenth.

Dino started at Gokudera, his eyes clouded in pain and worry. "Do you think you would have allowed him to leave without you? Tsuna didn't want any of you guys to follow him so he intentionally left without mentioning anything. He wanted you to continue on with your own lives…" His voice dwindled away, his gaze dropping to stare at the cold ground in front of him. "As for Reborn…Do you really think my teacher wouldn't object? They quarreled about it for days until Reborn finally gave in. Because…Because Reborn knew that if he didn't… Tsuna… Tsuna would blame himself for everything… and really break…" Dino swallowed hard.

The Guardians were silent, deep in thought at everything that Dino had told them.

Tsuna had sacrificed so much for them… Tsuna had gone against his tutor, standing up to Reborn –the scariest person in the entire Mafia– just so they could live out the rest of their lives peacefully, away from the threat of the Mafia while he dealt with it by himself, every day. They were grateful; they really were.

But…

How could they live their own lives if they knew that Tsuna was out there, risking his life everyday so that they would live peacefully? How could they not feel guilty that Tsuna was sacrificing so much for them and they weren't even there to help? They would rather have their lives in constant danger if it meant that they could stay with Tsuna; if it meant that he was here with them, smiling and comforting them like the Sky he is.

What should they do? Should they live the peaceful lives that Tsuna worked hard to give them? Or should they go to Italy to find Tsuna and bring him back, fulfilling their promise as both friends and Guardians to stay by their beloved Sky's side?

"I…" They turned to face the Cavallone Decimo for the umpteenth time. Dino lifted his head, determination shining in his brown eyes. "I want you to help Tsuna. Please…You're the only ones left who can save him…" There was a desperate tone in his voice, one that showed just how dire the situation was.

"Wha…What's wrong with him?" They were now frightened and worried. What had happened to their friend while he was in Italy? Was he injured? Hurt? Depressed? Homesick? Did he find new Guardians? Did he get involved in bloodshed?

_**What?!**_

"He's…he's working himself too hard!" Dino's voice broke as memories of Tsuna's recent condition resurfaced. His bangs covered his eyes as his head tilted down in worry, covering his expression. Tears pricked at his eyes, but his remaining pride as a Boss, pride that had already been destroyed when he got captured, refused to let them fall. "He's been skipping meals and not sleeping properly and he just looks so fragile and pale and tired and yet he continues to work without end…for you… His eyes… His beautiful, bright eyes… they've gone dull and dead; it's obvious that he misses you guys with every fiber of his being and he would rather be here, but my stupid, stubborn brother has his resolve is set and at the rate he's going, he is just going to end up breaking himself…! He can't take any more of this…emotionally and physically…!" He lifted his head to stare at the Guardians, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. The Guardians could see it clearly: his resolve, his determination to help Tsuna. "_Please! _You guys have to help him! I don't care if I get tortured by Reborn or have the Vongola turned against me! I just… I just want my Lil' Bro back…" Dino didn't care anymore; he didn't care if he lost his pride. He left the tears finally fall, the tears that were held in after seeing his Lil' Bro after so long.

The Guardians stared in disbelief. No one went against the Vongola and survived. For Dino –the Bucking Horse, the Don of the Cavallone Famiglia– to lose his composure so publicly, to be willing to suffer such dire consequences, the man was completely desperate –in other words, the situation was now at its worst. How could they not go help Tsuna when their friend needed them! That would make them the worst, worthy to be taken to Vendicare for all eternity.

The Guardians glanced at each other for confirmation (when really, there wasn't a need to) before Gokudera stepped up as the representative of the Guardians.

"Bring us there, Bucking Horse."

* * *

Afterwards, Gokudera had kindly released Dino (after Hibari handed him the keys) while Hibari left, since lunch had started and the prefect had herbivores to bite to death, as well as keep the herbivores from going to the rooftop. The others promised to fill him in on the details later. Everyone else stayed at the rooftop, engrossed in making a plan that would convince Tsuna to return to Namimori and be together with them once again.

After much debate, they decided that they would be heading to Italy in a week. Dino graciously volunteered the use of the Cavallone Famiglia's private jets. He would also cover hotel costs (so that their plan wouldn't be found out too early) until they were ready. When ready, they would go visit Tsuna at the Vongola and convince him that they needed him, that he shouldn't have left and they all needed each other.

Now they could only hope that Tsuna would come back with them, and that nothing happened during the week of preparations.

* * *

At Chrome's request, the others all left the rooftop, leaving only Chrome and Mukuro were left on the rooftop to talk in privacy.

"Did you know about Boss, Mukuro-sama?"Chrome asked firmly. Her connection to him allowed her to not be completely oblivious to his actions.

The owl smirked. _"I knew some of it –I needed to keep an eye on my prey, after all. But unfortunately, I couldn't interfere without a body. Kufufu…you've provided me with entertainment today Sawada Tsunayoshi…"_

And with that, Mukuro left his current vessel and returned to his sleeping body back in the Vendicare Prison while Mukurou returned to its ring form, leaving behind one very confused Chrome.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to WaiiKitsune for helping so much with this! It turned out a lot better with your beta-ing! And a lot longer too (practically double in length!)**

**Thank you for all your support! But…I have more bad news. (I know. After this chapter, you thought that there wasn't anything worse. :P) I _might _need to delay the next chapter for another two weeks. See, I'm on break right now, but I would rather stock up on future chapters than posting as many as I can then going on hiatus. So…I'll use the break to my advantage and write as many chapters as I can so that I can update weekly. I know, I'm sorry. *bows* But if I get enough support, I might still release the chapter next week…*hint hint***

**But on a happier note, I'm working on a one-shot! It's called 'Unavoidable Fate'. It will be out later this week so keep an eye out for it! Also, the summary for 'Uncontrollable' is finally posted on my profile. Go check it out!**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 17 February 2013**

**Updated 24 March 2013**


	9. Chapter 8: Nightmare

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc ********Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Beta'd by WaiiKitsune**

**Warning: some vivid description. A bit of R27/fluff at the end. :D**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

_Tsuna glanced around wordlessly, dull eyes staring into the distance. _

_He was surrounded by nothing but darkness. It closed in from all sides, and there wasn't even a single shred of light –Tsuna could barely see his hands in front of him. The darkness… It sounded like it was calling out to him; but for what reason or even how, Tsuna had no idea. He wandered around aimlessly, his confusion slowly melting into panic as he tried to find the seemingly nonexistent exit. _

_After a long while of running nowhere, Tsuna finally decided to stop at wherever he was and think of another option. As he waited for his breathing to return to normal, Tsuna eventually realized that there was actually a voice approaching him, calling out to him. Faintly, he could also make out footsteps approaching him. The voice got louder with its owner's every step._

…_A disturbingly familiar voice._

"_T…Te…Tenth…Tenth…!"_

_Tsuna felt relief burst up within him as he spun around, turning toward the direction where his best friend's voice could be heard. Tsuna was both happy and relieved that someone –someone he knew–was stuck in the same darkness with him –that he wasn't along in this all-encompassing darkness. Strangely enough, the darkness seems to brighten up at the same time. Tsuna still couldn't see into the distance, but in the dimly lit darkness, Tsuna could clearly make out Gokudera's figure approaching him._

_Tsuna's aforementioned relief quickly turned to dread and fear; however, when he actually saw the state Gokudera was in. His shock had frozen him in place, making him unable to move, let alone scream. The storm Guardian walked toward him as if nothing was wrong, but his appearance clearly said otherwise. _

_Gokudera was covered with numerous bullet wounds all over his body, his clothes were practically soaked in the blood that was still seeping out of the wounds. The usually bright emerald eyes were glazed over, and blood spilled from his lips, splattering down on the ground. With a dull and lifeless expression, Gokudera walked toward Tsuna with an almost zombiefied manner, slumped over and swaying dangerously from side to side._

_Tsuna was horrified, eyes opened wide and his hands covering his mouth at the sight of his best friend in that condition. With the wounds that he was sporting, Gokudera shouldn't even be __**alive**__. _

_The next words that came out of Gokudera's lips…_

…_froze his blood ice-cold._

"_Tenth…why did you drag me into this mess? Why must I constantly put my life at risk…to protect your __**worthless one**__?!"_

_Tsuna gasped, his body shaking as he took a few unsteady steps backwards, __**away**__ from his storm Guardian. As the words sank in, countless thoughts raced through his mind, all of them linked to what his dear friend said. He…he had…all because of his involvement with the Mafia. If only he didn't get Gokudera involved, then Gokudera wouldn't have had his life on the line to protect him all the time; he wouldn't have to constantly be dragged into these life-or-death situations. And…And–_

–_He wouldn't have had…to…to __**die.**_

_Tsuna kept backing away –despite the fact that Gokudera had yet to move an inch from where he was, staring at his 'precious Boss' with dark, unforgiving eyes. It wasn't real, just _knew _that it wasn't! If he could just find the exit… Squeezing his eyes shut, Tsuna continued backing away mindlessly, fisting his hair tightly in despair. He wanted to escape this mess, this __**horror**__ –and he wanted to, __**now**__. His thoughts broke off as he crashed into someone with a yelp. Tsuna looked up to see Yamamoto, his face unharmed. Tsuna sighed in relief, releasing a breath that he didn't even know that he was holding, before turning around._

_Only to let out an ear-piercing scream._

_Yamamoto's shirt was torn to shreds and blood was oozing from the multiple stab wounds that decorated his body. The wounds were deep and jagged, bleeding profusely with an almost impossible amount of blood. One particular wound caught Tsuna's attention, the one that was located where his __**heart **__was. His eyes were also dark and glazed over, staring at the brunet with an intensity that could even rival Reborn's. His right arm hung limply by his side at an awkward angle, obviously twisted and broken._

"_Tsuna, why did you get me involved in the Mafia? I never wanted to join; I just wanted to play baseball wholeheartedly and become a professional baseball player. Not to mention…" His harsh glare hardened further. "My old man was killed."_

_Tsuna was frozen-stiff, his body felt cold and unbelievably heavy. His mind was yelling –__**screaming**__– for him to run away, away from his two _best_ friends; but his feet felt leaded and, despite what they've said, he couldn't bear the thought of leaving them again._

_His chest hurt so much…even more than when he left Namimori…After so long…After _being alone_ for so long, he thought he could handle it…but…_

_Tsuna heard footsteps approaching him from behind and felt his heart get heavy with dread. He didn't want to turn around or to know who is was, but curiosity won over will, and Tsuna turned around, only to regret and wish he didn't. _

_Ryohei and Lambo were walking toward him, their eyes dead and their bodies slumped over as if walking was a huge effort. Like the other Guardians, they also had various wounds: Lambo had burns covering his whole tiny body, the largest one located on his back and his cow-print suit in pieces to expose more burns on his arms and legs; Ryohei was covered with bruises, the left side of his face swollen an angry purple and his nose dislocated with large bruises covering his front and back alike._

"_Sawada! Because of you, my sister's life is always extremely in danger. And I have to keep fighting and going against my extreme promise to her! Do you know how upset she is everyday because I come home injured?! How extremely worried she was?!"_

"_Baka-Tsuna! Lambo-sama just wanted to be with Mama! All of Mama's food is Lambo-sama's! But now Lambo-sama can't be with Mama! Lambo-san can't eat grape candy and play with I-pin and Fuuta! Baka-Tsuna! Give Lambo-sama back Mama and I-pin and Fuuta!"_

_Tsuna's arms hung limply by his side in defeat, tears forming in his eyes as he stared at the dark ground in front of him. He couldn't find any more strength in himself and slumped to the ground, watching the tears fall and become absorbed by the darkness. Tsuna couldn't find any counterargument for what they said; he knew it was all true. It was him being selfish, thinking that they wouldn't mind living such a dangerous lifestyle just so they could be with him._

_Footsteps resounded in the darkness again and Tsuna's heart all but stopped as he glanced up to see Chrome and Hibari approach him. They were injured too, but Tsuna's mind had already shut down, too helpless to even evaluate the sight in front of him. His eyes watched lifelessly as the two Guardians talked, but he no longer heard anything. Slowly, the other Guardians moved, encasing him in a circle so that there was no escape._

_None. At. __**All.**_

* * *

Reborn jumped onto Tsuna's bed and roughly shook the thrashing teen, evading the flailing arms as he tried to wake Tsuna. Natsu had already appeared in a burst of sky flames and was meowing desperately, wanting Tsuna to wake up from his nightmare. "Tsuna…Tsuna!"

Tsuna's eyes were scrunched tight and his expression looked strained and pained. His hair was a disheveled mess, tousled from all the tossing and turning he did throughout the night. Reborn felt a pang in his heart at the sight, but immediately steeled his heart and resumed trying to wake Tsuna from his nightmare.

"Tsuna! TSUNA!"

It took a harsh kick to the stomach –Reborn was_ honestly _trying to avoid injuring his student but he had no choice but to resort to more physical methods– for Tsuna to wake up, snapping into an upright position. Tsuna's body shuddered as he bent over the side of his bed, gagging violently as he tried to catch his breath. With a silent cue from Reborn, Leon hopped onto Tsuna's head and transformed into a headband, holding back the brunet's hair and cooling his forehead like a compress to calm him. Natsu nuzzled into Tsuna's side in an attempt to comfort its master, meowing comfortingly. Reborn leaped onto Tsuna's shoulder and patted his back softly, waiting for Tsuna to finish. When Tsuna settled back into a sitting position in his bed, he was looking abnormally pale, while his eyes were wide open, staring in front of him without focus. His clothes were soaked in the sweat that glistened on his body, while his hands were shaking violently, clenching and unclenching the pale orange sheets around him.

"…Tsuna…?"

No answer.

"Tsuna?"

Still no answer.

"_**TSUNA**_!"

Reborn growled and slapped his student across the face, finally bringing brunet back to his senses. Tsuna cupped his bruised cheek in a hand delicately as he finally focused his gaze on Reborn. The hitman had his arms crossed, still standing on Tsuna's shoulder. His onyx eyes could have bore a hole in the ground with the intensity of his glare. He took in Tsuna's appearance, feeling another pang in his heart, as he looked at his student's pitiful state. His gaze softened as he stared into the frightened eyes. Leon transformed back and crawled back down onto Reborn's fedora while Natsu hopped up to Tsuna's lap, still meowing softly.

"…Again?" He asked softly, already knowing the answer but wanted to know make sure. Tsuna nodded, bringing his knees up and hugging them tightly as he struggled to contain the tears that threatened to fall, Natsu jumping onto its master's other shoulder to avoid getting squished. The lion cub nuzzled its mane into the crook of Tsuna's shoulder. Leon gazed upwards at the boy's face, licking up a salty tear that was sliding down his cheek. Reborn tilted his head down, hiding his eyes within the shadow of his fedora. "I know I taught you that a Boss has to be in control of his emotions at all times, but Tsuna… It's alright to be yourself every once in a while. Sometimes you just need to let go."

That was all it took for the floodgates to open.

Tsuna cried; tears cascading freely down the sides of his face in endless rivers as he sobbed uncontrollably. Natsu tried to purr, but it only came out as soft whimpers, mirroring its master's feelings. Leon flicked his tongue several times in comfort, catching a few more of the tears before they fell. Reborn, expression still hidden, glanced down at the bed-sheets surrounding them as he patiently waited for his student to calm down, feeling every tremor that shook Tsuna's petite body. In just the span of three weeks, Tsuna had grown frail –too frail. Reborn was almost afraid that a gentle breeze would be able to sweep the brunet off his feet.

It wasn't an uncommon occurrence; nearly every night Tsuna was caught up in a nightmare. If Reborn wasn't around for some reason, he would struggle within the nightmare until he woke up with a scream. The nightmare was always the same one each time, leaving him restless through the entire night, unable to go back to sleep as the memories of the dream haunted him, making him fear sleeping itself. It was only occasionally (mostly with a few words from his dear tutor) that Tsuna allowed himself to cry, torn by the turmoil within his heart.

Throughout it all, Reborn never said anything, never argued with him about it and simply watched over him.

Tsuna was grateful for that; he knew Reborn would often go nights without sleeping as he stayed up with his student, despite knowing the lack of sleep would make him grouchy and rather snappy the next day. When this happened, however, Reborn would never ever lash out at Tsuna, knowing that his student was barely holding his composure together (though the same couldn't be said for the others living and working in the Vongola estate). He supported his student, comforting and assisting him whenever he can…almost like the father Tsuna never had.

Tsuna was thankful to his tutor for this.

They didn't know how much time had passed, but once Tsuna had calmed down and the sobs quieted, Reborn glanced back up see his student's tear-streaked face. With a barely-suppressed sigh, he ordered his student to wash his face in the attached bathroom and Tsuna complied without a word or complaint, jumping onto the bed as Tsuna moved to do what he was told. When Tsuna stepped back into the bedroom, he was a little shocked at the sight that greeted him.

Reborn had taken off his fedora and placed it on the side table next to the bed. In the short span of time that Tsuna spent in the bathroom (it couldn't have been more than two minutes), the hitman had already settled himself under the soft orange covers, his spiky hair flattened by the fluffy pillow that he was resting his head on. Leon nestled on the pillow close to Reborn, already drifting off to sleep.

"Well? Are you going to go back to sleep or not?"

After a moment of hesitation, Tsuna crawled into bed next to Reborn and pulled the rest of the covers over them. Natsu, who had followed Tsuna into the bathroom, jumped up and curled into a ball right above Tsuna's head, much like Leon did. Reborn scooted up next to Tsuna, resting within arm-range. Tsuna had flinched at the contact, before slowly (and hesitantly) turning around, draping an arm over the hitman as he shifted Reborn closer to his chest. Reborn didn't mind; he knew that Tsuna was more likely to fall back asleep without problems this way –hopefully without the nightmares resurfacing too. Plus, (even if he would never, ever admit it out loud) it was kind of comfortable to be in that warm grasp.

Reborn let his breathing even out and slow, faking sleep as he waited for Tsuna to succumb to his exhaustion. It took a while, but Tsuna eventually fell asleep, his breathing slow and steady compared to when the brunet first woke up. Reborn glanced up, noting the peaceful expression on his student's face, before he joined his student in dreamland.

* * *

**A/N: Yay! I did it! I got it out on time. :D I was really busy for the past week and wasn't sure if I would make it. xD**

**Now...I will need another two weeks. We are nearing the end of this fic, so I need to pick up the pace on my second one, 'Uncontrollable'. Also, I'm gonna start working on a one-shot for a certain holiday coming up, keep an eye out for it!**

**I have a Tumblr now, you can go to my profile and check it out. :D The preview for Uncontrollable will be up soon, depending on when I get it back...**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 3 March 2013**

**Updated 24 March 2013**


	10. Chapter 9: Encounter

**Summary: ****He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc ************Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Notes: No idea how the streets in Italy look. I apologize if the descriptions are inaccurate.**

**Beta'd by WaiiKitsune, who managed to get it to me in one day! Thanks~**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

The streets were bustling with people, as was common on a weekday. Shops were open and shopkeepers were out, competing in volume as they called out their wares and handed out samples after samples of their products. People were rushing to work, window-shopping, or simply having a great time with a group of close friends or family.

Tsuna and Reborn were currently strolling down the streets, the Sun Arcobaleno sitting comfortably on Tsuna's head, squishing the fluffy brown locks. They disregarded everything around them but kept their guard up –as much as Tsuna could in his condition, anyway, watching out for assassins or enemy Families that might be targeting the Vongola Boss-to-be. Despite the danger, Reborn had insisted that they go outside for some fresh air, explaining it like he alone was more than enough to protect the next heir of the Vongola. Ever since Tsuna arrived in Italy, he had spent every day cooped up in the office doing paperwork or other training to be the next Boss. By this point in time, it was imperative that the brunet go outside and take a break from the strenuous work; at the rate he was working at, he was practically working himself to death. A walk exploring the lovely streets of Italy –which Tsuna had never actually taken the time to explore– would help to alleviate his stress and take his mind off work… and _them, _even if it was just for a little while.

That didn't mean that they would let their guard down, of course.

As they wandered the streets of Italy, not looking for anything in particular, a shadow in the alleyway they just passed caught Reborn's eye, if the light glow of the pacifier was not a good enough indication. The glow slowly faded and Reborn glanced down the alleyway, knowing who was there wanting to talk to him. With Reborn still hitching a ride on his head and his intuition dulled drastically by his tiredness, Tsuna never noticed their little guest and continued walking down the streets with dull, sleep-deprived eyes.

"Tsuna." The brunet shifted his head just enough to indicate he heard his tutor, and not enough to fling said tutor off. "Go browse the shops for a while. I have something to attend to." Another shift of the head and Reborn jumped off, heading toward the alleyway with ease. He stopped just in front of the alleyway, peering into the shadow of the alley. "What do you want?"

"He looks terrible, kora! Are you sure that we can let him out when he's like that, kora?!" a familiar voice replied. Reborn walked into the dark alley, tilting his fedora upwards in greeting. His eyes adjusted to the change in lighting and he could now make out Colonnello standing not far in front of him, arms crossed, a concerned frown set on his face. His loyal partner, Falco, was nowhere to be seen, probably circling the sky and watching out for potential threats.

"It's fine. Tsuna can lure the Scordota Famiglia out for us," Reborn joked, tilting his fedora back down to hide his expression.

"Kora! You really are a Devil, kora…" Colonnello couldn't help but shudder, despite knowing Reborn long enough to know that the hitman was joking –after all, Reborn would never use his student like that.

Reborn's smirk grew before suddenly disappearing altogether, replaced by a serious frown as the atmosphere around them changed. The hitman lifted his arm, Leon immediately crawling to it and transforming into his trusty gun. Colonnello glanced around warily and slowly unstrapped his rifle from his back. Falco dove down from the sky, latching onto Colonnello and lifting him several inches off the ground before hovering in place, ready to take flight at any moment. "Looks like we have some company, kora!"

"Ah."

The two Arcobaleno didn't move, merely watching with keen eyes as shadows made themselves known and stepped out into the alleyway, each carrying a weapon.

"These guys don't look like they belong to any Famiglia, kora!" Colonnello said. The two Arcobaleno moved, facing away from each other to cover their backs as the assassins formed a circle around them. Reborn didn't answer and instead, addressed the assassins.

"Did the Scordota Famiglia send you?" the hitman asked, holding up his gun up and pointing it at the assassin in front of him threateningly. The assassins didn't reply, but kept inching closer and limiting the space that the Arcobaleno had to maneuver. It appeared that there were at least 50 assassins, and probably at least 50 more hiding in the back as an ambush. (Reborn barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes at this; Colonnello aside, did they really think that a mere outnumber would hinder the strongest hitman in the world? He briefly pondered if he should feel insulted.)

The two Arcobaleno prepared to fight, weapons at the ready.

'_Keep your guard up, Tsuna. Looks like things might not go as planned.'_

* * *

Tsuna walked around the busy streets, not caring where he was going or even _where_ he was at the moment. Everything was a blur; his half-lidded eyes were looking forward but not seeing or concentrating on anything. In a plain-orange T-shirt with white sleeves and a pair of worn jeans, he was merely another face in the crowd, drifting without a purpose down the streets –a huge contrast to when he was wearing a neatly-pressed suit that practically screamed _'IMPORTANT'_.

Tsuna stuffed his hands into his jean pockets, trying to stop them from shaking as memories of the previous nightmare resurfaced unwillingly. His expression contorted into one of fear and pain, thankfully ignored by the general public since everyone was focused on their own business. Tsuna didn't watch where he was going, his vision gradually becoming blurrier as his emotions threatened to spill out.

And so he didn't notice until it was too late.

Tsuna crashed into someone's back, the other getting shoved forward while he, caught completely off guard, fell onto the concrete ground with a cry of pain. Tsuna mumbled an apology, barely heard over the chatter of the crowds around them, while he nursed his injured bottom, the pain causing tears to spring up in the corners of his eyes. Curses could be heard from the person who he had just crashed into, while the person's companions tried unsuccessfully to calm said person down. Tsuna winced, and braced himself for any sort of impact when he heard his name.

"…_**Tsuna**_?!"

The brunet looked up from the ground in front of him, still sitting on the floor, and into the eyes of those he was trying to protect and _avoid_.

* * *

The Guardians had just arrived in Italy a few hours before, having taken the Cavallone Famiglia's private jet (courtesy of the Cavallone Decimo himself) from Namimori. Dino was too busy to meet with them himself, so he had sent them directions to their hotel through text, reassuring them that the hotel was owned by the Cavallone Famiglia and that staying there would help them avoid detection by the Vongola, even if it was only for a short while.

The plan was to rest up for a day or two –to allow them time to adjust to the jetlag and time change– then make a plan that would get them in contact with Tsuna. From there, they just had to convince Tsuna (and likely, the rest of the Vongola) that the brunet should stay with them and go back to Namimori –a seemingly simple process. Gokudera, Yamamoto, Ryohei, Chrome, and Hibari (begrudgingly) were the ones who came, Lambo staying at home so that they wouldn't have to play babysitter. Unfortunately for them, Dino, being the airhead that he was, had given them vague and confusing directions that even Gokudera –who used to live in Italy– couldn't decipher. That led them to where they were now: wandering the streets of Italy in hopes of finding the hotel that they were supposed to be staying at. Constant bickering as they walked was hindering their progress and things quickly became chaotic.

"Haha! I think we should go this way!" Yamamoto said, grinning as he pointed down a gloomy and mysterious street.

"Why would you want us to go there, Sword Freak?! That practically screams suspicious!" Gokudera yelled back, his temper pushed to the limit as he stared at the directions from the Cavallone Boss then the street they were on.

"I think that we should extremely go this direction!" Ryohei replied, pumping his fist in the air.

"A-ano…I think we went that way already…" Chrome replied quietly, looking unnerved at the crowd of people staring at them for being so loud.

"Herbivores. If you don't decide soon, I'll bite you to death." Hibari threatened, pulling out his tonfas and glaring fiercely.

After several more minutes –and a 'light' beating by Hibari (which caused passerby's to stare before leaving quickly)– they decided to simply pick a direction and headed down that way. Gokudera –being the proud Right Hand Man that he was– had insisted that he walk in the front while Hibari walked a little ways behind them, his expression growing darker and more annoyed with each passing second.

Gokudera had turned around and was arguing with Ryohei about who knew which way to go (Yamamoto and Chrome being mediators and hopelessly trying calm them down) when a figure crashed into Gokudera, sending him tumbling forward a few steps before the bomber regained his balance and let out a string of colorful expletives in various interesting languages. Ryohei began criticizing him for not watching where he was going and things quickly became heated between the two of them, their patience strained by everything from the jetlag to Dino's downright terrible instructions and them, admittedly, getting lost. Gokudera said that it was the 'Turf Top' who was making him walk backwards in the first place, Chrome was trying to break up the fight that threatened to break out, and Hibari stood slightly to the side, his expression growing more annoyed. Yamamoto, however, was staring at the person on the ground before them with disbelieving eyes. He looked just like…

"…Tsuna?"

All at once, everyone felt their breaths left them as they turned to face the very person they came all the way to Italy for…

* * *

**A/N: Scordota means 'left behind' or 'forgotten'. Fitting, isn't it? **

**Sorry it's a bit late… Thank you so much for all the reviews, faves, and follows! I didn't even realize that I had that many until I looked at the count! :D Please continue supporting~**

**The next chapter will be in two weeks. I unfortunately have to start dealing with college stuff (where I plan to go, etc) and wish to keep stocking up on chapters till May, which is when I will be very busy. **

**Preview of Uncontrollable is on Tumblr~ So go check it out~**

**Ciao Ciao~ **

**Pikachu**

**Published 17 March 2013**


	11. Chapter 10: Capture

**Summary:He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future ArcCover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Beta'd by WaiiKitsune**

**Note: No words… just… TT_TT**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

Tsuna was scared.

No, _**terrified**_.

He didn't expect to find them here of all places –in _Italy_. The brunet was certain that he left absolutely _no_ indication of where he went. He could only imagine who leaked his location –there really were only a few culprits, countable with only one hand. Yet, the state of his mind had dulled his Hyper Intuition to the point where he could no longer make such a simple deduction.

His heart throbbed painfully at the sight in front of him; it had been so long since he had seen _**them**_. Tsuna couldn't stop himself from feeling _elated_ that his Guardians -no his _friends_- had worked so hard to track him down, but he couldn't bear the thought of explaining the reasons behind his actions, let alone leave them again. His heart felt torn with indecision; he wanted them back by his side yet at the same time he didn't want to subject his dearest friends –from whom he would risk his life for– to the darkness of the Mafia world. So, he did the only thing that came to mind.

He ran.

Tsuna ran like he never ran before, pushing pedestrians out of the way in his haste to escape. Adrenaline coursed through his blood, giving him the energy that he needed to run despite his condition. He ignored the cries of his name from behind, and the curses and swears of the people he roughly shoved aside, focusing only on his need to get away, _get away, __**get away!**_

His intuition spiked, but he carelessly assumed that it was simply because his Guardians were desperately trying to follow him from behind –he had no reason to think otherwise; he heard the calls of his name from behind after all. Tsuna would later regret it but he ignored his Hyper Intuition (despite Reborn warning him countless times otherwise) and continued running away from his Guardians as fast as he could.

It wasn't long before Tsuna noticed a crowd forming in front of him, apparently a store upfront having a sale –a perfect chance to lose his pursuers. Taking the opportunity, he ducked into the crowd, weaving in and out of the crowd with ease with help from his smaller stature (which he was rather glad of, for once).

Once he was certain that his Guardians had lost sight of him, Tsuna ducked down into the nearest alley, hiding himself within its shadows. He stood, hunched over with his arms clutching his knees as he breathed in slowly and deeply in an attempt to catch his lost breath. His intuition still ran alarm bells in his head; he once again carelessly assumed that it was because there was still the danger of his Guardians finding him. When he finally caught his breath, he scanned the streets in front of him, looking for any sign of his Guardians, despite being well aware than should his Guardians spot him, he wouldn't have any energy left to run.

As a precaution, Tsuna took a step back, to hide himself further in the shadows…

…and that was his biggest mistake.

A hand reached over from behind and pushed something soft against his face, blocking off all airways. Before he could react -his lack of energy contributed to the slower reaction- another hand had restrained him from behind, grasping his arms behind his back and effectively preventing him from escaping. Tsuna struggled violently, desperately attempting any means to escape but to no avail. Tsuna didn't even need his intuition to tell him that if he got caught, he would be in trouble –_big _trouble; he _was_ the next heir to the Vongola throne, after all.

Soon, what little remaining energy he had was drained away and his lack of air proved to be too much as he breathed in whatever chemical was in the towel covering his face. The effects were immediate and Tsuna could already feel his conscious slipping away with that one _**short**_ breath, his body slowly and unwillingly going limp in his attacker's arms. Despite his intuition telling him to not fall unconscious, Tsuna couldn't help but give into the enticing darkness, his fatigued body already exhausted from running.

* * *

A shadow approached the perpetrator from behind, pointing to the still body of the young Vongola Boss as he came closer. "He's the one?"

The other man, the one who had thrown Tsuna over his shoulder roughly like a rag sack to carry him more easily nodded his head, jerking a hand back to point at the unconscious brunet. "Yeah. This was a lot easier than imagined. Who knew that the Vongola forces were so low right now? Not that it matters to us freelancers; all the better for us."

"True," his partner snorted. "And here we thought we must have been insane to agree to kidnap the infamous Don Vongola-to-be… This is easy money!"

"Hah! Don't let others hear you say that! They'll be pissed and lower our paycheck!"

"Whatever. Now let's get to the meeting spot before someone notices." And the duo stepped back into the darkness of the alley, taking the unconscious brunet with them.

* * *

**A/N: I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE CHAPTER I KNOW THAT I SAID THAT I WOULDN'T BUT ARGHHH PLEASE FORGIVE ME! TT_TT *bows head in shame* It won't happen again… I hope. I'm sorry…**

**So… I apologize for the very **_**VERY**_** short chapter… since I have so much homework despite it being break… TT_TT (yeah I'm on break but it doesn't feel like it with all the homework I have…) It's the start of the busy months; both April and May are busy for me.**

**Because of that… I will give myself till April 27****th**** to finish the next chapter… TT_TT But if I get enough support, I might put up the first chapter of Uncontrollable in a week instead~ Since it's already done. :D Wanna see it? You know what to do please!**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu**

**Published 3 April 2013**


	12. Chapter 11: Where did he go?

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty...or betrayal? Post-Future Arc. Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Beta'd by WaiiKitsune**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

Bumping into their dear friend –the person they came all the way to Italy for– on _the very same day they arrived _was **not** part of their plan.

They were supposed to lay down low for a few days upon their arrival, splitting up into a few pairs to gather information about the whereabouts of Tsuna before going to find their missing friend. Much to their surprise, here Tsuna was, _right in front of them_. They were, at first, overjoyed that they had found their dear friend so easily and so soon. And yet, upon closer inspection, that feeling of elation melted away into worry and concern as they began to subconsciously analyze Tsuna's condition.

The Guardians weren't sure if Dino had been lying to them, but one thing was clear: Tsuna's condition was worse than what was described to them (unless Dino wasn't proficient at explaining, which, despite his infamous clumsiness, was rather unlikely, given that he was the Cavallone Decimo).

Tsuna was pale… _deathly_ pale. His normally soft and silky brown hair was even messier than usual, completely disheveled and tangled. He looked as if he lost weight –in fact, Tsuna looked as though he was severely underweight, likely from the disturbing amount of meals he'd skipped as he drowned himself in paperwork in a vain attempt to ignore the inner turmoil he was going through. Dark bags were prominent under his eyes from the countless sleepless nights, not to mention his eyes were also red and puffy from crying himself to sleep each and every night.

The Guardians didn't know how to react. They were torn between relief from finally finding Tsuna and concern for his severe condition. They froze in place, unable to move as the gravity of the situation slowly sank in their minds. And, as they watched Tsuna's expression turning from a look of surprise into one of disbelief and pain, they felt another stab of pain in their chest.

Why were they so naive, to believe that Tsuna would never leave them?

Were they blind to his motives, that his overwhelming concern for them would force him to make such a grave decision?

_And why…_

… _Why did he look so hurt when they were there, in front of him, after searching for him for so long?!_

Before any of them could say anything to explain about their presence in Italy and how they felt about seeing their boss again, Tsuna had scrambled to his feet and stumbled away with alarming speed, despite his weakened condition. Hibari, as expected of the leader of the Namimori Middle Disciplinary Committee, was the first to react, running after the brunette immediately as he muttered something about herbivores under his breath. The Cloud Guardian's movements snapped the remaining Guardians out of their shock and soon, the whole group was chasing after Tsuna, yelling for him to stop. Yet, no matter how fast they ran, they couldn't catch up to their elusive friend; the few seconds he had as a head start allowed Tsuna to get a considerable distance away of them. The overcrowded streets didn't help either; the townspeople were continuously getting in the way as the Guardians struggled to keep sight of the petite brunet in front of them.

A few minutes into the chase, however, Tsuna had ran into a large crowd in front of a store, making it especially hard to find the brunet due to his petite stature. Hibari, who was the closest to catching up to Tsuna, immediately halted, scowling in disgust at the large crowd before he took another approach –one that did _not_ involve crowds of any size– by turning into the nearest alleyway. The other Guardians, however, ran into the crowd but the brunet was already out of sight. They split up and desperately searched the crowd for any sign of their friend; going on to search the entire city when the crowd finally dissipated, but to no avail.

_Tsuna was gone again_.

The sun was setting by the time they met up at the edge of the main plaza. Every single one of the Guardians was frustrated, having let their friend –who was right there _in front of them_, they might add– escape them for the second time. It was their goal to find their dear friend and bring him back with them, yet, they had let him get away again. Now they would have to start their search anew, all the while keeping alert for any Vongola members looking out for them to send them back to Namimori; they had no idea whether Tsuna would tell Reborn about their appearance in Italy, after all.

Gokudera snarled in frustration as he punched the wall of a store they were standing by in annoyance. A few curious heads turned in their direction to see what the commotion was, but Gokudera ignored the stares as he bit out in a voice that could only be described as despair, "Che! Why... Why did Jyuudaime look so... so unhappy to see us?! Why did he run from us?! Aren't we his Guardians? His _friends? _His _**family**_?!"

None of the Guardians answered; they had asked themselves the same question, and could find no answer. Their fatigue from running around the city all day and the gloom from losing their friend _again_ showed on their faces as a tense silence fell over them. The Guardians felt worthless; being unable to help their friend who was suffering because of a decision he made for _**their sake**_.

"Well... Guess we just have to find out where he is now," Yamamoto chuckled half-heartedly in a poor attempt to lighten the mood.

Before Gokudera could snap at the raven, a dangerously familiar voice spoke. Instinctively, the Guardians' alert levels rose, even though they had known the voice very well.

"He's been kidnapped."

The Guardians turned and, rather unsurprisingly, found the infant hitman standing just a few feet away from where they were. The Vongola hitman was in his signature attire as usual, though a small hand rested on the brim of his fedora, onyx orbs hiding in its shadow. It was barely noticeable, but there seemed to be a slight slouch to the hitman's stature, which was extremely unusual and out of place for Reborn.

"R-Reborn-san!" Gokudera greeted in a soft gasp.

The shock of the hitman showing up all of a sudden had slowed their reaction and it was a while before Reborn's words finally sank in. They weren't in trouble, but their friend was...

"Kidnapped?" Yamamoto echoed, disbelief clear in his voice. "W-wha... _What_?"

Reborn pressed his lips together, steeling his expression before he continued, "We've gotten a report about an enemy Famiglia in Italy. It seems their goal was the capturing of the Vongola Decimo."

"B-but... How did they evade Vongola detection?" Gokudera asked.

"There was an infiltrator in our team: an illusionist."

The simple explanation was all that was needed; everyone –Yamamoto especially– knew how deceptive mist users could be. All thoughts about being caught in Italy were now thrown out the window; getting Tsuna back from the kidnappers was now their main concern. A quick shared glance confirmed each other's thoughts as Yamamoto spoke up for the group, "What can we do?"

Reborn didn't answer, only tightening his grip on the brim of his fedora as a sudden gust of wind whipped around them. From above, a faint cry could be heard –another voice that the Guardians recognized.

"Oi, we found them, kora!" The Guardians glanced up just in time to see Colonnello and Falco fly in for a landing right next to Reborn. "They are on the outskirts of town, in an old abandoned warehouse. That seems to be the location for the transfer, kora!"

"What do you extremely mean, Master?" Ryohei asked, a confused frown set on his face.

Colonnello glanced over at Reborn with a quirked eyebrow before continuing on his report. "The group of assassins that kidnapped Sawada was hired by the Scordota Famiglia, the Family that is suspected for plotting against the Vongola. The Scordota Famiglia is waiting there right now and the assassins hired to kidnap Sawada are currently heading there."

Reborn's smirk was purely predatory as Leon transformed into its gun form in the infant's hand. "Well now… We better get there fast, if we want to prevent them from getting away."

* * *

**A/N: I… I sorry! TTnTT I haven't updated this for a long time… I have no excuses. But this fic will be ending in a few chapters. Visit my profile for other fics I wrote, updates and such.**

**Thank you for all the support and everything! I'm so happy! :D**

**Ciao Ciao~ **

**Pikachu**

**Published 23 June 2013**


	13. Chapter 12: Rescue

**Summary: He didn't want to... but he had to. Leaving behind those he had deemed precious with a heavy heart, he swore to be stronger without them. Those that he left behind were kept in the dark, not knowing why he left. What will happen when they discover the truth behind his disappearance? Loyalty… or betrayal? Post-Future Arc. Cover image belongs to Palettesky, not me.**

**Beta'd by WaiiKitsune**

**Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

A group of cloaked figures stepped out of the black van, their hoods pulled up to conceal their true identities from whoever that had the misfortune of seeing them. One of them had the unconscious Don Vongola slung over one shoulder, with one arm holding onto him to prevent the unconscious brunet from slipping off. The remaining kidnappers carefully arranged themselves around the one carrying Tsuna, keeping watch on all sides. They headed inside the abandoned warehouse in silence, where a Mafioso greeted them and gestured for the group to follow him to where their Don was located.

Their guide led them up several flights of stairs, past floors of Mafiosi standing guard and watching for any oncoming threats. When the group finally reached the top floor after several minutes of climbing, the Mafioso led them down a long hallway before coming to a stop before a single door, behind which the Don Scordota's temporary office was situated (since this was a meeting place between the assassins and the Don Scordota, nothing more). With a quick reminder to the assassins that the Don Scordota should be treated with the utter most respect, the Mafioso opened the door and let the group in.

The assassins entered the room in silence, stopping in the middle of the room. They had an air of confidence around them, yet cautious. Their stance was relaxed and respectful, but it was obvious that none of the assassins were letting their guard down, as though expecting to be attacked at any minute. The Mafioso who led them in stood by the doorway and closed it shut behind him when they were all inside. The assassins couldn't see Don Scordota for the man was seated at the other end, hidden within the darkness of the heavily shadowed and barely lit room.

Their guide walked up to the front of the group of assassins and knelt on a knee, lowering his head respectfully before reporting. "They have successfully completed the mission."

The Don nodded –that much could be seen despite the lack of lighting– and gestured to the wall where an old, yet comfortable-looking sofa was located. "Place him there," he instructed, waving a hand at the group impatiently.

The assassin carrying the young Vongola Don nodded before moving off to carry out the demand, gently placing the brunette down on the couch before returning to his place in the group. The Don nodded his approval and was about to speak when a Mafioso burst into the room without knocking. Frowning, the Don gestured for the Mafioso to come forward and make his report.

The Mafioso complied, kneeling down on one knee before reporting. "Boss, we are currently engaged in combat with two Arcobaleno and a group of kids. We believe that the kids are the Vongola Decimo's Guardians. We are doing our best to hold them back but the kids have already infiltrated the warehouse." The Don's frown deepened as the situation was explained, the telltale signs of battle already making its way to their location.

One of the assassins stepped forward, catching the attention of the Don before speaking. "We were hired to kidnap the Vongola Decimo. Our mission is complete, for we have brought you the Vongola Don as requested. We shall now take our leave; we have no intention of getting involved in unnecessary conflict." With that, the group disappeared in a burst of mist flames.

As the assassins left, the Don Scordota growled lowly at their situation. He gestured for his guard, who rushed over, kneeling down on one knee as he waited for his orders. "We should be on our way," the Don said to the guard.

The guard blinked at the Don's orders, confused. "What about the Don Vongola?"

The Don Scordota simply shook his head. "It is a losing battle we are fighting; we would not have been able to win with one Arcobaleno on their side, much less with two. We should flee while we still can."

* * *

The Guardians ran down the hallway, knocking out anyone in their path. Gokudera was in the middle of the group, covering everyone from attacks with his Sistema C.A.I. Bone Shields while Ryohei and Yamamoto had formed a surprisingly effective tag team in front, taking out enemies after enemies with the combination of boxing and sword techniques. Chrome bravely took the back, taking care of anyone catching up to them from behind with powerful, traumatizing illusions. Hibari had, like the head of the Namimori Disciplinary Committee he is, ran ahead to 'bite the herbivores to death'. If anything, his location could be determined by the loud screams that could be heard above them.

"I hope that _shishou _is ok. That was an extreme number of enemies out there," Ryohei voiced aloud, punching another enemy in the stomach in the process.

Yamamoto ran out of the cover of the Sistema C.A.I. with _Scontro di Rondine_, knocking out the group of Mafioso in front of them with the wave of Rain Flames. "Mah, I'm sure that he and the kid are just fine." The swordsman gave a grim smile as he thought, _'They're the ones who could have invaded all by themselves after all…'_

* * *

_"… You want us to __**what**__?!"_

_Reborn blinked, smirking as all the Guardians present stared incredulous at the two Arcobaleno. "Colonnello and I will attack the outside of the base, enough to attract the attention of most of the people inside. When we give the signal, run inside the base and rescue Tsuna," he repeated, chuckling inwardly at the Guardians' reactions._

_"But Reborn-san, that would mean that we will be leaving you to deal with the majority of the Mafioso," Gokudera pointed out. _

_Falco swooped down, picking up Colonnello and lifting him from their hiding place behind the bushes. "Kora! Don't argue and let's do it! We can't waste another second! Sawada's health –and life– is at stake here!" Colonnello interrupted, pointing his rifle at the enemy base._

_"W-wait–"_

_"Maximum Burst!" _

_Rain flames shot out of the rifle in a bird-shape, hitting the side of the enemy base with deadly accuracy. As the wall crumbled, Mafioso flooded out of the building, weapons at the ready as they searched for the intruder. It took another two Maximum Bursts –which Colonnello had manipulated into different angles to throw them off– and two Chaos Shots from Reborn before the Mafiosi managed to pinpoint the Arcobalenos' positions and start their counterattack. By then, there were about two hundred Mafiosi gathered outside, half of which were already knocked out from the force of the attacks –none of which were powerful enough to seriously injure or kill anyone. The Guardians forced themselves to be patient as they watched minute after minute of loud explosions, gunshots, flames, and screams. As their numbers dwindled down, it became apparent that no more Mafiosi were going to come out of the warehouse; the rest were inside, likely preparing for an attack on their base. Reborn knew this, and glanced over at the bushes nearby where the Guardians were waiting and hiding. He stopped long enough to give a brief nod in their direction before jumping back into the fray, shooting another Chaos Shot at a group that got too close for his liking._

"_Let's go!" _

_At the signal, the Guardians broke cover, Hibari quickly running ahead and taking out anyone in their path as he dashed toward the warehouse, tonfas at the ready. Gokudera immediately pulled out his Sistema C.A.I., bone shields appearing in bursts of furious red Storm flames to protect them while Yamamoto drew his _Shigure Kintoki, _Chrome materialized her trident, and Ryohei rewrapped the bandages tightly on his hands. Once the Guardians were safely in the building (or, at least, as safe as can be considering that they _were_ charging straight into enemy territory), the Arcobaleno stepped in front of the entrance, blocking any Mafioso from entering the building in pursuit. _

"_There's no way we are letting you pass, kora!" Colonnello announced with a wide grin._

_Reborn smirked predatorily before saying his famous greeting. "Chaos."_

* * *

Chrome blocked the staircase behind them with illusionary vines, effectively preventing anyone from following them until someone manages to destroy the illusion. The Guardians had finally reached the top floor of the warehouse, barely injured thanks to the protection from the Sistema C.A.I. (and the fact that the Arcobaleno had taken care of most of the Mafiosi for them). Strangely enough, it seemed that there was no one around; the hallways were all deserted. Despite this, the Guardians kept their guard up, especially considering they have yet to see the Don Scordota. Once they reached the end of the hallway, they came across a single door, opened by just a gap. With a nod from the others, Ryohei placed a hand on it cautiously and, when it appeared that no traps would appear, pushed the door open to reveal…

"… Hibari-san?"

The Cloud Guardian turned around at the mention of his name, slightly shadowed in the dim lighting of the room. The glint of his tonfas could be seen as he nodded to the rest of the Guardians in acknowledgment. "There is no one here but the herbivore," he said, gesturing to a sofa where they could just make out a mop of brown hair. Report finished, he promptly turned on his heel and jumped out the closest broken window and joined the ongoing battle below.

As soon as Hibari left, the Guardians immediately ran over to Tsuna. In the dim lighting, they couldn't really assess his condition very well; all that they could tell at the moment was that he had no external injuries. Gokudera moved forward and gingerly lifted his beloved Boss into his arms, bridal-style. With one last look at the unconscious Vongola Decimo, Gokudera turned back to the rest of the Guardians and spoke.

"Let's get out of here."

* * *

**I hope this rescue met your expectations. OwO Anyways… we are nearing the end of this fic. I'm thinking one more chapter… if I don't split it in two again. OAO**

**Review on the way out, please?**

**Ciao Ciao~**

**Pikachu **

**Published 26 July 2013**


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